Poetry Out Loud
Recitation 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 the Division of Arts & Museums Literature Program to support the expansion of Poetry Out Loud, which encourages Utah’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance.
For full details on this exciting national poetry recitation contest, visit www.poetryoutloud.org.
To get involved in Utah's Poetry Out Loud activities, contact Jean Irwin via email or call 801.533.5760.
2011 Poetry Out Loud
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Shannon McCullamThe Utah State Poetry Out Loud Finals Contest was held at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 14, 2010, at 7 p.m. with students from 10 high schools participating.
Top honors went to Shannon McCullam, a junior at Box Elder High School in Brigham City. She receives $200 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., where she will compete in the national finals in April for bragging rights and a $20,000 scholarship. Her school also receives a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books.
First runner-up was Alyssa Hall, a senior at North Sanpete High School in Mt. Pleasant; second runner-up was Samara Wells, a senior at Monticello High School.
Actress and arts advocate Kerry Washington will host the 2011 POL National Finals on April 29 in Washington, DC. Judging the Finals are poets Valerie Martínez, Thomas Sayers Ellis, and Brian Turner, actress and author Amber Tamblyn, playwright/actress/director Aditi Brennan Kapil, and Michael Kahn, Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company.
2010 Poetry Out Loud
The Utah State Poetry Out Loud Finals Contest was held at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 11, 2010, at 7 p.m.
Congratulations to winner Caroline Liston from Box Elder High in Brigham City. She will represent Utah in the National Poetry Out Loud competition in Washington D.C. Lexi Crandal from Meridian School in Provo and Laura Lighty from Judge Memorial in Salt Lake City also received award certificates.
2009 Poetry Out Loud
Janna Tessman, a senior at Salt Lake City's East High, represented Utah at the national Poetry Out Loud finals in Washington, D.C. on April 26-28. As the Utah winner, Janna received $200 from Poetry Out Loud, and East High received $500 to purchase poetry books for the library.
The 2009 runner-up was Katie Harrington from Judge Memorial Catholic High School in Salt Lake City. The state finals featured students from 10 Utah high schools, from Ogden to Payson. Judges were Anne Cullimore Decker, Katharine Coles and Rob Carney. Blue Haiku provided music during the interludes.