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Ohio Schools Selected to Compete in Poetry Out Loud Ohio’s State Finals on March 14, 2009
by Jaclyn Reynolds
 Students from 31 high schools from around Ohio will take part in the 2009 Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. The program seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers and builds on the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as seen in the slam poetry movement and the immense popularity of rap music among youth.
Poetry Out Loud works like a spelling bee with individual schools hosting competitions and picking school champions. These students are eligible to compete in the state finals to be held on Saturday, March 14, 2009 at 4 p.m. following the preliminary rounds held earlier that day. The event will be held at the Matesich Theatre at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus.
The winner at the state level will receive $300 and an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete for the national championship. The state winner’s school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. A runner-up will receive $200, with $200 for his or her school library. A second runner-up will receive $100 and $50 for his or her school library. A total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends will be awarded to the winners at the National Poetry Out Loud Finals held April 26-28 2009 in Washington, D.C. Ohio high school student Jackson Hille won the inaugural National Finals in 2006.
Schools that participate in Poetry Out Loud receive many benefits. Teacher and student workshops are offered to participants and schools can also receive artist visits by Ohio Arts Council poets and writers. In addition, every teacher receives a free toolkit containing a poetry anthology, teacher study guide, CD of student performances and a poster to advertise the contest. Poetry Out Loud brings the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word and theater into English classes all over Ohio. Through Poetry Out Loud, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage.
Participating schools include:
Garfield High School, Akron; Amanda-Clearcreek High School, Amanda; Chagrin Falls High School, Chagrin Falls; Purcell Marian High School, Shroder High School, Ursuline Academy, Cincinnati; The Lyceum, Cleveland; Cleveland Heights/University Heights High School, Cleveland Heights; The Arts and College Preparatory Academy, Bishop Hartley High School, The Charles School, Columbus Alternative High School, Eastmoor Academy, F.C.I Academy High, Premier Academy, Columbus; Chaminade-Julienne High School, Dayton; Westland High School, Galloway; Granville High School, Granville; Butler Tech’s Option Academy, Hamilton; Logan High School, Logan; Madison High School, Madison; Medina High School, Medina; Milford High School, Milford; Reynoldsburg High School, Reynoldsburg; Shaker Heights High School, Shaker Heights; South Webster High School, South Webster; Stow-Munroe Falls High School, Stow; Tallmadge High School, Tallmadge; Calvin Woodward High School, Toledo: Upper Arlington High School, Upper Arlington; Westerville South High School, Westerville.
The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation are presenting Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, in partnership with the Ohio Arts Council, the Thurber House and Ohioana Library Association. Poetry Out Loud encourages high school students to learn about poetry through memorization, performance and competition.
The NEA and the Poetry Foundation have each contributed $500,000 towards the 2009 Poetry Out Loud program in support of materials, grants, prizes and the National Finals in April. Ohio will receive approximately $20,000 from this budget, with matching funds provided by the Ohio Arts Council.
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. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Endowment is the nation’s largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities and military bases.
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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