Keener will be reciting poems in front of a panel of judges. Keener competed against many others to get to this level, first regionals then to the state level and finally at the national level.

“This competition is really a combination of things I’ve been doing my entire life,” Keener said “I have been reading and writing poetry all my life, I have been doing live performances all four years of my high school career.”

In addition to winning a state championship, Keener also won a $200 for himself and $500  for BHS for teachers to purchase new poetry books for next year’s students.

Keener did not do this all on his own, English teacher Katherine Cook helped Keener by listening to him recite his poems to her several times. Cook is also going with Keener to D.C. as his chaperone for the trip.

“What it means beyond the pride of winning,” Cook said, “for each time a student wins state, Baldwin High School earns $500 to spend on poetry materials.”

Keener is the second BHS student to win the Poetry Out Loud competition at the state level, the competition has been going on for six years.

The competition will take place May 14 in Washington D.C. the day after the BHS graduation.

Results of the competition will be viewed remotely through a one-time-only live webcast. and on the Twitter feed of Poetry Out Loud at @PoetryOutLoud and @NEAarts.