This article spotlights a remarkable achievement by a Marin County student. Lillian Braly, a 17-year-old junior at Marin School of the Arts at Novato High School, just became the 2026 California Poetry Out Loud state champion.
Representing Marin County, Braly wowed judges in Sacramento with a three-poem performance. She’s now earned a coveted ticket to the national finals in Washington, D.C., later this spring.
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Marin County teen crowned CA Poetry Out Loud state champion
Lillian Braly stepped onto the state stage with the poise of a seasoned performer from Marin County. She drew on a curriculum steeped in the arts at Novato High School and the creative energy of local communities—Novato, San Rafael, and even up to Fairfax.
The Sacramento finals brought together students from 200 schools across 48 counties. All were hoping to advance to a national audience.
Braly’s win marks the 21st California Poetry Out Loud in a statewide program run by the California Arts Council.
The competition also named Sailee Charlu, a 17-year-old junior at Orange County School of the Arts, as the runner-up. She’ll step in for Braly at nationals if needed.
Zoewin Abariga, a 17-year-old senior from Great Oak High School in Riverside County, received an honorable mention. The sheer range of talent shows off California’s diverse high-school poets—from Marin County’s backyards to Riverside’s suburbs.
The California Arts Council pointed out the tenacity of these students. They value spoken word for how it connects people and communities—from Sausalito to Larkspur and beyond.
It’s true—a simple recital can bridge generations and geographies, even across Marin.
Braly’s poems and performance
For the finals, Braly delivered three powerful selections. Her chosen poems were:
- Saturday’s Child by Countee Cullen
- Casey at the Bat by Ernest Lawrence Thayer
- O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman
This mix—lyrical reflection, humorous bravado, and elegiac tribute—really shows Braly’s ability to inhabit a poem’s voice. Marin County’s vibrant arts scene, including programs at Novato High and towns like San Anselmo and Mill Valley, shapes young performers who can hold a room in places as iconic as the old state capital.
What’s next: Nationals in Washington, D.C.
With the state crown, Braly heads to the national Poetry Out Loud competition on April 27–29 in Washington, D.C.
She’ll represent California on the national stage, alongside other state champions who have trained through the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, in partnership with the California Arts Council.
California Arts Council Executive Director Danielle Brazell praised the students for their tenacity. She also highlighted how spoken word sparks conversation across communities—from the benches of Marin County schools like Novato to the corridors of Orange County and beyond.
Braly’s journey puts Marin’s arts education on a wider map. It’s a great moment for local readers to celebrate the county’s ongoing contributions to California’s cultural life.
The creative-writing corner: Poetry Ourselves
In the companion Creativity-to-Text competition, the Poetry Ourselves contest crowned Beza Getahun first for her original poem, “Alchemy”. Charlu took the runner-up spot, and Mahati Vaidyanathan placed third.
Braly’s win focused on recitations. These creative-writing honors show Marin County’s range in literary arts, from performance to original composition.
The region’s got a reputation for nurturing young voices in places like San Rafael, Novato, and Mill Valley. It’s honestly impressive how much talent keeps coming out of these towns.
Here is the source article for this story: Marin Co.: Poetry Recitation Champion Heads To Washington, D.C.
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