Chaminade Julienne High School Student Selected to Compete in National Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest
by Stephanie Dawson
Ohio’s fifth annual Poetry Out Loud (POL) state competition was held Saturday, March 13 at the Matesich Theatre at Ohio Dominican University. Chaminade Julienne High School, Dayton, student Lynsay Strahorn was selected as the representative from Ohio and will advance to the national finals April 25-27, 2010, in Washington, D.C. Margaret Gonzalez from The Lyceum in Cleveland placed second. Michaela Herrick from Logan High School, Logan, placed third. Forty-eight schools from around the state took part in the contest and 28 students participated in the final event. This year’s POL, state competition was hosted by Marshall McPeek, NBC4 weekend news anchor and weatherman.
The six state finalists received plaques from Passion Works Studio and the top three students received cash prizes. Lynsay Strahorn received $300 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the 2010 Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest. Her school received a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. The runner-up, Margaret Gonzalez, received $200, with $200 for her school library, and the second runner-up, Michaela Herrick, received $100 with $50 for her school library. All students competing in the state finals received lapel pins and poetry books in recognition of their participation. A total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends will be awarded to the winners at the National Finals.
Ohio has an outstanding track record of competition at the national level. Ohio champion Jackson Hille was the first national POL winner in 2006. Last year’s Ohio champion, Mido Aly, was among the top five national finalists.
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 POL, 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.
Complete list of student participants.
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