TINTON FALLS, N.J. – March 4, 2026 – Trinity Hall proudly announces that senior Joy Ogunsakin has been named State Champion at the 2026 New Jersey Poetry Out Loud State Finals. The competition, part of the National Poetry Out Loud recitation program, was held March 3 at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, New Jersey.
Ogunsakin competed against 11 students from across the state, reciting three poems of her choice from an anthology of classic and contemporary works to earn the state title.
The State Finals marked the culmination of a statewide initiative that began in fall 2025 and included 10,758 students from 68 high schools and organizations throughout New Jersey. As State Champion, Ogunsakin will represent New Jersey at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, D.C., this April, where she will compete for the national title and the opportunity to earn college scholarships and other prizes.
“For the past 20 years, Poetry Out Loud has been one of the State Arts Council’s cornerstone arts education programs. The talent and dedication of the participating students is truly inspiring,” said Allison Tratner, Executive Director of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. “And we are grateful to the educators, administrators, family members, and friends who supported the students and this program from the beginning. New Jersey has historically been one of the most engaged states in this national program, and that is due to the collective belief in the power of arts education and the priority placed on providing avenues for young people to express themselves. We look forward to cheering on Joy as they represent New Jersey in Washington D.C.!”
Trinity Hall faculty members who worked closely with Ogunsakin praised her preparation, dedication and emotional depth.
“Joy spent a lot of time preparing for the competition, meeting with me during her free time at school to practice her poems,” said Ellen Phillips, Trinity Hall theatre teacher. “For ‘Blues Fantasy’ [poem by Langston Hughes], Joy and I played some happy blues music so she could connect with the poem. I think doing so put her on the next level of understanding. Everyone at the competition did a phenomenal job and was just as talented as the next, but I feel like Joy had an understanding of her poem that made her recitation unique and beautiful.”
Brittany Orrico, Trinity Hall humanities teacher, shared, “Joy worked so hard over the past few months and recited her poems flawlessly at both the regional and state-wide competitions. I couldn't be more proud. Memorization skills are very important in this competition, but what matters even more is your ability to understand the meaning behind the words and convey that emotion and message to the audience. This is where Joy shines. The emotions Joy is capable of conveying are incredible; I had goosebumps listening to her recite the words of Langston Hughes, and I know that her deep emotional intelligence and empathy will take her far with the judges at the national competition.”
About Trinity Hall
Trinity Hall is an independent, all-girls school that educates and empowers young women in the Catholic tradition through an innovative college preparatory program grounded in four core values of leadership, respect, perseverance, and faith. Trinity Hall prepares each student to achieve her full potential as she embraces her place in the world. For more information, please visit www.trinityhallnj.org or call 732-291-1297.
About Poetry Out Loud
Poetry Out Loud is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation in partnership with the state and jurisdictional arts agencies. The program encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. The program starts in the classroom/school or at the local level with an area organization. Students memorize and recite poems they select from an anthology of classic and contemporary poems. Winners then may advance to a regional and/or state competition, and ultimately to the National Finals. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.5 million students and 85,000 teachers from 21,000 schools and organizations across the nation have participated in Poetry Out Loud. For more information about Poetry Out Loud and how to participate in the 2025–2026 program, visit www.PoetryOutLoud.org.
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