Juneau Senior Cassie Lumba Reaches Poetry Out Loud National Finals for Alaska

JUNEAU, Alaska (Day.News) — Cassie Lumba, a senior at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé, advanced to the 2026 Poetry Out Loud national finals Tuesday after competing in semifinals against 54 students from U.S. states and territories in Washington, D.C. Lumba recited "Longings" by Nellie Rathbone Bright, "Poetry" by Marianne Moore and "O Me! O Life!" by Walt Whitman, earning one of nine spots in the finals. The event, organized by the National Endowment for the Arts, continues today at 3 p.m. Alaska time, culminating in the announcement of the national champion and a $20,000 grand prize.

Lumba claimed Alaska's state title on March 9 in Juneau, topping eight other finalists from across the Last Frontier, including runner-up Jasminka Jaksic of West Anchorage High School. Her state-winning poems included "Under the Harvest Moon" by Carl Sandburg alongside Bright and Whitman selections. Other Alaska contenders hailed from Petersburg High School, Tanalian School in Port Alsworth, IDEA Home School and Homer High School, showcasing the program's reach from the Southeast Panhandle to the Interior and beyond.

Poetry Out Loud, now in its 2026 edition with national semifinals April 27-29, encourages high school students to master public recitation and deepen poetry appreciation. Lumba's journey from the Capital City's regional rounds in March to the national stage highlights Juneau's vibrant arts scene, bolstered by the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council and Alaska State Council on the Arts. A YouTube reflection video captures her experience as one of the finalists.