Natalia Gatti Named 2026 Delaware State Champion for Poetry Out Loud

Sussex Academy tenth grader will represent the First State at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, D.C., April 27–29.

Statewide, Del. (February 26, 2026) – “I believe that poetry is freedom. It is freedom of self, of expression, of love — and I believe that my poetry is my dignity. I believe that without poetry, there is no life.”

Those were the words of Natalia Gatti, a tenth grader from Sussex Academy of Arts and Sciences, moments before being named Delaware’s 2026 State Champion in the 21st Annual Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest. The Delaware Division of the Arts is proud to name Gatti as this year’s state champion, whose commanding recitations of “Militants to Certain Other Women” by Katharine Rolston Fisher, “Let No Charitable Hope” by Elinor Wylie, and “To a Young Dancing Girl” by Elsa Gidlow left judges and a captivated house at the Smyrna Opera House speechless.

Gatti, a tenth grader at Sussex Academy, brings a long-standing passion for poetry to the competition. This is her second year participating in Poetry Out Loud at the school level, and she is already making her mark on the state stage. Outside of poetry, she enjoys reading nonfiction and writing, and one day hopes to study astrophysics.

“Being named state champion is a dream come true,” said Gatti. “I am incredibly proud to be the first contestant from Sussex Academy to make it into the final round and to win the state competition. But more than the title, the whole experience was surreal. Meeting people who share the same passion for poetry was easily the best part of the whole event.” 

The State Finals, held at the Smyrna Opera House on February 19, 2026, drew an audience that included Representative Sarah McBride, elected state senators and representatives, and members of the Delaware State Arts Council. Eight student finalists from across Delaware competed across two rounds of recitation, with five advancing to a final third round. This year also marked the debut of a new exhibition round, giving students the opportunity to recite a poem of their own choosing, from outside the anthology or self-written. The addition brought a new dimension of authenticity to an already powerful evening.

The evening also featured video addresses from Governor Matt Meyer and Secretary of Education Cindy Marten, both of whom offered messages of congratulations and spoke to the enduring role of poetry in education and self-expression. Their remarks set a tone that carried through the night: that the spoken word has power, and that Delaware’s young people are wielding it beautifully.

As Delaware’s Poetry Out Loud State Champion, Gatti will receive a $200 award and represent Delaware at the National Finals in Washington, D.C., from April 27–29, 2026, where she will compete against state champions from across the country for $50,000 in scholarships. Sussex Academy of Arts and Sciences will also receive a $500 stipend to support poetry programming for its students.

Gatti wasn’t alone in making the night memorable. First Runner-Up Olivia Stevens of Mount Sophia Academy and Second Runner-Up Phy Sullivan of MOT Charter High School delivered performances that earned well-deserved recognition. Stevens will receive a $100 award, and Mount Sophia Academy will receive a $200 stipend to further enrich its poetry curriculum.

“Poetry Out Loud exists to give young people a platform to find their voice, and Natalia Gatti has done exactly that,” said Director Jessica Ball of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “Her recitations at the State Finals reminded everyone in that room why poetry matters, and Natalia’s words about what poetry means to her made that point even more powerfully. We congratulate Natalia, Olivia, Phy, and all of this year’s competitors. Their courage to stand before an audience and breathe life into these poems is exactly what this program is about.”

A recording of the 2026 Delaware Poetry Out Loud State Finals is available on the Delaware Division of the Arts’ website. Photos from the 2026 Delaware State Finals are available for media use. To request an interview with Gatti or any of the finalists, please email Andrew Truscott at Andrew.Truscott@delaware.gov.

Registration for 2027’s Poetry Out Loud program will open in August 2026.  Interested teachers should contact the Division of the Arts at artsdel@delaware.gov with questions or information to participate.

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Contact: Andrew Truscott, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications

302-577-8280, andrew.truscott@delaware.gov

About Natalia Gatti

Natalia Gatti is a tenth grader at Sussex Academy with a long-standing passion for poetry. This is her second year participating in her school’s Poetry Out Loud competition. She enjoys reading nonfiction and writing whatever comes to mind. One day, she hopes to study astrophysics.

About Olivia Stevens, First Runner Up

Olivia Stevens, a senior, is an aspiring writer, vocalist, and engineer. She has written and published a novel titled “The Locket Mystery” and is currently working on another. Olivia enjoys writing free verse poetry and short stories, which have won several awards and have been included in national and regional literary journals. As an active vocalist, she has participated in prestigious summer vocal academies, including the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. Olivia is the captain of a FIRST robotics team that represented Delaware at the 2019 and 2021 World Competitions

About Phy Sullivan, Second Runner Up

Phy Sullivan is a senior at MOT Charter High School with a passion for the arts. In their free time they like to paint, draw, sing, and write poetry. They also love to act and can be seen in all their school plays and musicals. This is their fourth year participating in Poetry Out Loud and they plan to go out with a bang.

About Poetry Out Loud

Poetry Out Loud, presented in partnership with the Delaware Division of the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, encourages high school students to engage with great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. Now in its 21^st year, the program has reached more than 4.5 million students nationwide, fostering a love for poetry and enhancing students’ public speaking and critical thinking skills. For more information about Poetry Out Loud and how schools can participate, visit arts.delaware.gov/poetry-out-loud.

About the Delaware Division of the Arts

The Delaware Division of the Arts is an agency of the State of Delaware. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. Funding for Division programs is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.