For Immediate Release: October 23, 2007
Contact: Jeff Morgan
Public Relations
515.281.3858
Jeff.Morgan@iowa.gov
Deadline to enter Poetry Out Loud competition is Nov. 1
(DES MOINES, Iowa)— Iowa teachers interested in giving their students an opportunity to compete in the 2007-2008 Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest have until Nov. 1, 2007 to notify the Iowa Arts Council.
Poetry Out Loud is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, and is organized in Iowa by the Iowa Arts Council. Teachers should contact Poetry Out Loud Coordinator Donna Davilla at ddavilla@mchsi.com by Nov. 1 to declare their intent to participate.
Poetry Out Loud builds on the recent resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as demonstrated by the slam poetry movement and the immense popularity of rap music among our youth. The program encourages youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance, which help students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about our literary heritage.
A POL Teacher’s Guide incorporates a simplified rubric and optional creative writing lesson plan. The Iowa Arts Council is offering workshops for teachers this month and in November to provide tips on bringing the program into their classrooms.
Starting at the classroom level, teachers receive free multimedia curriculum materials – a poetry anthology, audio guide, teachers’ guide, posters, and comprehensive Web site, www.poetryoutloud.org, all aligned to national standards – augmenting their regular poetry curriculum with poetry recitation and a classroom-level competition.
School-level recitation champions advance to the state and then national levels. In 2007, Poetry Out Loud awarded more than $100,000 in prizes to students and schools at the state and national levels.
This year’s state competition will be held March 8, 2008 at the State Historical Museum in Des Moines.
The Iowa Arts Council is a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and works to enrich the quality of life and learning in Iowa communities by encouraging excellence in the arts through leadership, grants and technical assistance. Funding for the Iowa Arts Council and its programs is provided by the State of Iowa and the National Endowment for the Arts.