Ohio Dominican University (located at 1216 Sunbury Road in Columbus, Ohio) will be the site of the eighth annual Poetry Out Loud state finals. The competition is slated for March 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and brings high school competitors from 38 schools around the state in order to vie for a chance to represent Ohio at the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest in Washington, D.C., April 29-30.
One winner will be chosen to receive an all expense paid trip to
Washington D.C. in order to compete in the national championship as well as $300. The winner’s school also benefits with a $500 grant to purchase poetry books for its library. The runner-up will receive $100 with a $200 grant towards the purchase of poetry books for their high school library. In all over $50,000 in awards and grants will be awarded to the winners at the National Finals Compitition.
Each year, competition begins in the classroom level when over 7,000 students participate. Students are challenged to memorize a poem and recite it in front of a panel of judges. Scoring is done on the basis of: physical presence; voice and articulation; dramatic appropriateness; level of difficulty; evidence of understanding; accuracy and overall performance. It is the goal of this competition to develop better public speaking skills, build self-confidence as well as be exposed to various genres of poetry and writing.
Between the round of the state competitions, Columbus poet, Dave Lucas, will recite a collection of his original poetry. Dave was the recipient of the 2012 Ohioana Book Award for his collection of poems entitled “Weather”. He is also the co-founder and co-director of the popular Market Garden Brewery Reading Series in Cleveland.
Serving as emcee for the final state competition round will be Sharon Howard of Dayton (Ohio Arts Council Board Member Sharon).
The event is free and open to the public.
Poetry Out Loud is presented by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation in partnership with the Ohio Arts Council. The Ohio Poetry Out Loud finals are presented in partnership with the Thurber House and the Ohioana Library.
About the Ohio Arts Council
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
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.
About Poetry Out Loud
Poetry Out Loud is a program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance and competition. Through Poetry Out Loud, students can master public-speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage.
About the Poetry Foundation
The publisher of Poetry magazine, the Poetry Foundation is an independent library organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It has embarked on an ambitious plan to bring the best poetry before the largest possible audiences.
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