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Poetry Out Loud District Registration is now open. Goals:
OverviewRecitation and performance are major new trends in poetry. There has been a recent resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as seen in the slam poetry movement and the immense popularity of hip-hop music. Poetry Out Loud builds on that momentum by inviting the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word, and theater into the English class. The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have partnered with arts agencies in each state to support the expansion of Poetry Out Loud which encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This exciting program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. After successful pilot programs in Washington, DC, and Chicago, the second phase of Poetry Out Loud was launched in high schools across America in the spring of 2006 with tens of thousands of students participating. In the second year, over 100,000 students competed. Amanda Fernandez from Washington, DC was named National Champion on May 1, 2007. Last year, 16-year-old Shawntay Henry of the United States Virgin Islands captured the audience with her poetry recitations and was named the 2008 Poetry Out Loud National Champion. The program grew during the 2008 – 2009 school year, involving more than 1,500 high schools and 300,000 high school students across the country. North Carolina was among the top five states in participation, with over 110 schools and 11,800 students participating in Poetry Out Loud. The year culminated in Washington, DC when 18-year-old William Farley of Arlington, Virginia, backed by a cheering section of his family and friends, captivated both judges and audience with his poetry recitations to gain the title of 2009 Poetry Out Loud National Champion. The program will continue to grow during the 2009 – 2010 school year, culminating in the 2010 National Finals in Washington, D.C. scheduled on April 25-27, 2010. Starting at the classroom level, teachers are provided with free multimedia curriculum materials—a poetry anthology, audio guide, teachers' guide, posters, and comprehensive website, www.poetryoutloud.org, all aligned to national standards—to augment their regular poetry curriculum with poetry recitation and a school-level competition. School-level recitation champions advance to the district, state, and national levels. In 2009, Poetry Out Loud awarded over $100,000 in prizes to students and schools at the state and national levels. School districts are responsible for coordinating their own Poetry Out Loud competitions, including supplying all prizes. Award certificates for each level of competition are available as downloads on the Resources page. The contest occurs first at the classroom level, coordinated by English teachers. Classroom winners move on to the school level and then school winners compete in school district Poetry Out Loud contests. Possible Poetry Out Loud coordinators—at both the school and the district levels—include English teachers, Theatre Arts teachers, school counselors, administrators, parents, PTA/PTO organizations and volunteers. The district winners will meet in Raleigh at the North Carolina Museum of History on Saturday, March 6, 2010, to compete for the North Carolina Poetry Out Loud championship. The North Carolina champion will go on to Washington, DC to compete for a $20,000 college scholarship Sunday, April 25 – Tuesday, April 27, 2010. District winners must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, to comply with federal immigration and tax law. Further information, including poems eligible for the competition, tips for teachers and students, press releases for coordinators, and answers to frequently asked questions can be found at www.poetryoutloud.org. Media inquiries: Bridgette Lacy at (919) 807-6520 or by e-mail at bridgette.lacy@ncdcr.gov. In Collaboration With: |
