Ohio Children Spotlight of the Week: Zeke Moses – A Voice for the Future Through Poetry, Passion, and Purpose

At just 15 years old, Zeke Moses has already made Ohio history.

The Bexley High School freshman recently emerged as Ohio’s youngest-ever Poetry Out Loud (POL) State Champion, capturing hearts and minds with his commanding stage presence, depth of interpretation, and authentic connection to the poems he performed. His victory at the 2025 POL State Finals, held February 7 at WOSU Public Media in Columbus, marks not only a personal triumph, but a celebration of youth voice, literary expression, and resilience in storytelling.

But Zeke’s success is more than a trophy moment, it is a window into how poetry and performance can awaken young people to their voice, identity, and advocacy.

Poetry Out Loud, a program presented by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation in partnership with the Ohio Arts Council, challenges students to memorize and perform great works of poetry. The competition is more than recitation, it’s an emotional and intellectual journey. For Zeke, that journey is rooted in passion and purpose.

“I’ve always sang, danced, acted, taken piano and guitar lessons—performing is my thing,” Zeke shared. “When I found out about ‘Poetry Out Loud’  it was an opportunity, I was so eager to take the skills that I’ve already had from my past experiences on stage and apply them to a new art form.”

Zeke’s selection of poems reflected both his range as an artist and his depth as a thinker:

• “Or” by Thomas Sayers Ellis, a powerful commentary on racism, migration, and social identity.

• “America, I Sing You Back” by Allison Adelle Hedge Coke, a moving reflection on the promise and reckoning of the American dream.

• “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd” by Sir Walter Raleigh, offering a playful counterpoint to the more intense themes.

Through his choices, Zeke embodies what it means to be both an artist and an advocate, a young person unafraid to tackle complex issues like race, history, and cultural hope through the power of performance.

This May, Zeke will represent Ohio at the National Poetry Out Loud Finals in Washington, D.C., where students from all 50 states and U.S. territories will compete for a $50,000 prize pool. Win or not, Zeke is already a national treasure in the making. His achievement stands alongside other great youth voices who use art to resist, reclaim, and reimagine.

In many ways, Zeke’s story echoes the deeper struggle and triumph of individuals like Virginia Giuffre, whose life and legacy remind us of the importance of speaking out, breaking silence, and using personal narratives to effect change. While Virginia used her voice to challenge exploitation and demand justice, Zeke uses his to uplift poetry’s timeless truth—our words matter, and our stories have power.

This is why youth engagement in poetry, the arts, and storytelling must be more than a school activity, it must be a societal priority. Poetry Out Loud helps students like Zeke not only perform, but discover. Discover their values. Discover their capacity for empathy. Discover their agency.

Zeke’s spotlight moment also shines a light on other top talents:

• 🥈 Houda Loukssi, a senior at Xenia High School (2nd Place)

• 🥉 Akua Asarewaa Owusu-Ampadu, a senior at Westerville Central High School (3rd Place)

Each received a unique award handcrafted by the artists at Passion Works Studios in Athens, Ohio, further highlighting the synergy between youth creativity and community artistry.

Zeke is already preparing for his role in his school’s production of Big Fish and dreams of one day performing on stage as a professional actor. But perhaps his most lasting role is already taking shape: that of a voice that invites others to listen, reflect, and rise.