Senior Jaden Conley advanced to the national finals of Poetry Out Loud in Washington, D.C., where he placed third in the nation and earned a $5,000 prize after competing against students from across the country. His national success followed his win of the Illinois Poetry Out Loud state championship in March.
Conley advanced to nationals after earning first place at the Illinois state competition, where he performed “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes, “Chicago” by Carl Sandburg and “Enigma” by Leonora Speyer. This marked Conley’s second trip to the state competition after previously qualifying as a junior last year.
“I truly felt deeply connected to the poems because I’d lived with them for so long and really embodied every word,” Conley said.
Conley follows another recent Niles West Poetry Out Loud success story. Former student Yohanna Endashaw won the Illinois state championship in 2023 and 2024, advancing to the national competition twice. Along with Conley’s state title this year, Niles West has now produced three consecutive Illinois champions and sent students to nationals in each of those years, with Conley being the school’s highest national finisher.
While nationals in Washington, D.C. brought exciting opportunities, Conley faced an unexpected challenge, falling ill close to the end of the competition.
“Going into finals, I honestly wasn’t even sure I’d be able to perform. I was incredibly sick that entire day. I couldn’t eat, I was nauseous, throwing up constantly and I was so exhausted I couldn’t even attend the congressional meeting at the U.S. Capitol or go sightseeing with everyone else. I spent most of the day in bed feeling awful, but when it was time to go on stage, I pushed through with a pounding headache, a Gatorade and a Red Bull. I still gave it everything I had.”
Despite being sick that day, Conley still delivered an amazing performance and took home third place.
“Of course, I wanted to place higher, and a lot of people in the audience told me they thought I was overlooked, which meant a lot to hear. But at the end of the day, I’m still proud that I got up there and performed the way I did despite everything physically working against me.”
Upon his return from D.C., he and his family were welcomed at Niles West during a commemoration ceremony with Illinois legislators and teachers, including Sally Graham, who watched his performance at home along with the other English teachers.
“Jaden Conley is a gifted performer. When he stands before an audience and recites a poem, he truly embodies its words and the audience is always transfixed. He interprets poems in ways the audience understands,” Graham said. “It was clear that Jaden’s performances stood out and reached the heart of the judges. Clearly, all of that hard work paid off.”
Conley’s success also reflects the impact of Poetry Out Loud on students nationwide, where judges and hosts noted the implications of placing in the top three.
“The program encourages the study of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high school students across the country,” judge Elizabeth Acevedo said.
As Niles West continues its streak of success in Poetry Out Loud, Conley’s national finish extends the legacy of poetry at Niles West and sets a high standard for future reciters.