Chaminade-Julienne High School Student Selected to Compete in National Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest
by Jaclyn Reynolds
Ohio’s third annual Poetry Out Loud state competition was held Saturday, March 15 at the Matesich Theatre at Ohio Dominican University. Chaminade-Julienne High School student Rachel Chandler was selected as the national representative from Ohio and will advance to the national finals April 29, 2008, in Washington, D.C. Rachel is the first young woman to win the state competition.
Three final winners were selected. Jasmin Cannon from Purcell Marian High School placed second. Rebecca Butler from Timken Senior High School placed third. In all, 23 students from around Ohio participated in the event.
Rachel Chandler received $300 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the 2008 Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest. Her school received a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. The runner-up, Jasmin Cannon, received $200, with $200 for her school library, and the second runner-up, Rebecca Butler, received $100 with $50 for her school library. Additionally, a total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends will be awarded to the winners at the National Finals.
Poetry Out Loud is presented by The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation in partnership with the Ohio Arts Council.
Poetry Out Loud is a program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance and competition. The program seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers by capitalizing on the latest trends in poetry recitation and performance. Through Poetry Out Loud, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage.
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts – both new and established – bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education.
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.
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