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IAC Announces 'Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest'
The
National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation present Poetry Out
Loud: National Recitation Contest, in partnership with the Iowa Arts Council
and The Des Moines National Poetry Festival. Poetry Out Loud is a program
that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization,
performance and competition. Starting in early 2006, schools in the Des Moines
region are invited to participate in classroom and school-wide contests, advancing
to state competitions next April. State champions will advance to the National
Finals, to take place on May 16, 2006, in Washington, DC.
Poetry Out Loud seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers by capitalizing on the latest trends in poetry — recitation and performance. The program 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 invites the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word and theater into the English class. Through Poetry Out Loud, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.
“There are so many good reasons to participate in this program,” said Dr. Judith A. Conlin of the Des Moines National Poetry Festival. “Poetic words become more than what is seen on the page and reported on as part of an assignment. It suddenly becomes all-encompassing, with the end result ultimately being a life-long enjoyment of poetry.”
The Iowa Arts Council received $8,000 from the NEA to create the state-level program. Additionally, the NEA and the Poetry Foundation will provide IAC with free, standards-based curriculum materials for use by participating schools. These materials include print and online poetry anthologies, a program guide to help instructors teach recitation and performance, and an audio CD featuring well-known actors and writers such as James Earl Jones, Anthony Hopkins, Alyssa Milano, and N. Scott Momaday. Program materials are available for download on the new website, www.poetryoutloud.org, which offers additional resources.
High school teachers interested in participating in Poetry Out Loud should know the program requires fewer than two or three weeks of class time. Participating schools are expected to run their programs between January and March. The Iowa Arts Council will hold its final contest in April at a location to be determined. Each winner at the state level will receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC, to compete for the national championship.
The state winner’s school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. One runner-up in each state will receive $100, with $200 for his or her school library. Poetry Out Loud will award a total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends at the National Finals, with at least a $20,000 college scholarship for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion.
For further information on Poetry Out Loud, visit www.poetryoutloud.org.
