Contra Costa County Office of Education

WALNUT CREEK, CALIF. – Ariana Salvador, a senior at Pinole Valley High School, is Contra Costa County’s 2024 Poetry Out Loud winner. With dramatic and expressive recitations of poems by Tanaya Winder and Roisin Kelly, Salvador became the county champion during the annual poetry event on February 10, 2024, at Del Val Theater in Walnut Creek. She was awarded a $250 scholarship and will now compete at the state level. Second place was awarded to Brooke Sanders, a senior at San Ramon Valley High School. Runner-up Sanders received a $100 scholarship.

“I want to congratulate all the students who entered the Poetry Out Loud contest this year,” Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said. “Your participation speaks to your courage and confidence. You should be proud. Poetry is an exciting and innovative way to teach literacy where students can master public speaking and build self-confidence. It allows students to connect with each other through their love of language and allows for expression of different viewpoints.”

The 2024 Contra Costa County Poetry Out Loud event was hosted by Contra Costa County Office of Education and Contra Costa County, serving as the countywide culmination of the 1,200 students who participated in Poetry Out Loud at their respective schools and districts. Six participants faced off at Saturday’s morning event.

Kimberly Huang, Las Lomas High, Walnut Creek

Alejandra Martinez, Mt. Diablo High, Concord

Grace Pastor, Independence High, Brentwood

Ariana Salvador, Pinole Valley High, Pinole

Brooke Sanders, San Ramon Valley High, Danville

Adri Walker, College Now, Pleasant Hill

For photos or video of the event, please contact [email protected].

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About Poetry Out Loud
A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and the state and jurisdictional arts agencies, Poetry Out Loud™ is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. The program starts in the classroom/school or at the local level with an area organization. Winners then may advance to a regional and/or state competition, and to the national finals. Awards and placements are determined solely by the judges’ scores based on the Poetry Out Loud Evaluation Criteria, including physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, evidence of understanding, overall performance, and accuracy. Poetry Out Loud takes place in all 50 states, American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.1 million students (about twice the population of New Mexico) and 68,000 teachers from 17,000 schools and organizations across the nation have participated in Poetry Out Loud. California’s Poetry Out Loud is the largest event of its kind in the U.S. and has grown steadily since its inception.

For more information about Poetry Out Loud and how to participate in the 2023–2024 program, visit PoetryOutLoud.org.

About Contra Costa County Office of Education
One of 58 counties in California, Contra Costa County (CCCOE) has the 11th largest public-school student population in the state (approximately 169,225 students). Officially established in 1932, CCCOE has a long history of providing direct services to some of our county's most vulnerable students, including young people who are incarcerated, homeless, or in foster care, as well as students who have severe physical or emotional challenges.

CCCOE also provides support services to schools and school districts in Contra Costa County; services that can be handled most effectively and economically on a regional basis rather than by each of the county's 286 schools or 18 school districts. These services range from budget approval and fiscal support to technology infrastructure, communication support, and high-level professional development opportunities for educators. CCCOE maintains a website at www.cocoschools.org.