2015 Poetry Out Loud
January 13
 4-6:30PM
High school students in St. Mary’s County compete in national poetry recitation contest 

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2014 Judges of Poetry Out Loud competition

The St. Mary’s County Art’s Council announces the County–wide Competition for Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. 


The competition, presented in partnership with the Maryland State Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. On January 13, 2015, high school students from three County High Schools will participate in the Poetry Out Loud County competition at the Cole Cinema Auditorium in the Student Center at St Mary’s College, from 4:30 p.m. to approximately 6:00 p.m. and is open to the public. The MC of the program will be Michael Glaser, Professor of English, Emeritus
, St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Poet Laureate of Maryland
 from 2004-2009. Refreshments will be served at 4:00 p.m. prior to the start of the competition.

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools nation-wide. After successful pilot programs in Washington, DC, and Chicago, Poetry Out Loud was launched in high schools nationwide in the spring of 2006 and has grown to involve millions of students across the country. 

Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to a school-wide competition, then to county, then regional then state competition, and ultimately to the National Finals in Washington, DC The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have partnered with U.S. state arts agencies to support Poetry Out Loud, a contest that encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.

Contestants will recite works they selected from an anthology of more than 680 classic and contemporary poems. Students participating in the Poetry Out Loud program have benefited from educational materials created by the Arts Endowment and the Poetry Foundation. These materials include a standards-based Teacher’s Guide, a comprehensive website, a Learning Recitation DVD, and a CD featuring poetry recitations by well-known actors and writers such as Anthony Hopkins and Rita Dove.

Poetry Out Loud Awards 
The winner of the Poetry Out Loud Maryland finals will receive $200, and the Maryland winner’s school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. The first runner-up will receive $100, with $200 for his or her school library. The Maryland champion will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip (with a chaperone) to compete in the National Finals in Washington, DC, on April 28-30, 2013. The Poetry Out Loud National Finals will bestow a total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends, with a $20,000 award for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion. 

 
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2014 St. Mary's County Poetry Out Loud Winners - Connor Joy, King’s Christian Academy, 12th Grade – First Place; Sage Burch, Leonardtown H.S, 11th Grade - Second Place; and Renae Thomas, St. Mary’s Ryken H.S., 12th Grade - Third Place. Pictured on the far left, Susan McNeill, organizer of Poetry Out Loud
Poetry Out Loud helps students 
master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.
About the National Endowment for the Arts 
The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov. 

About the Poetry Foundation 
The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience. The Poetry Foundation seeks to be a leader in shaping a receptive climate for poetry by developing new audiences, creating new avenues for delivery, and encouraging new kinds of poetry through innovative literary prizes and programs. For more information, please visit www.poetryfoundation.org