Register Today For Poetry Out Loud 2011
The sixth annual Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest (POL) is kicking into gear! High school aged students in public, private, charter or home schools in Nevada are eligible to compete in this exciting program, which culminates with the Nevada State Finals on March 19, 2011 in Reno. The Nevada State champion receives $1,000, wins $2,000 for his/her school to support literary programs, and travels to Washington D.C. to compete in the National Finals for $50,000 in scholarships and school prizes.

Download registration form here or contact Maryjane Dorofachuk, Arts Education Coordinator, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 702.486.3738.

Why Poetry?
As John Barr, president of The Poetry Foundation noted, “…In the hands of the poet, our everyday speech becomes a musical instrument.” Poetry Out Loud engages students in the dynamic aspects of the spoken word and theatre through poetry recitation. The program encourages the nation’s 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. 

What Do Teachers Get?
Starting at the classroom level, teachers are provided with free multimedia curriculum materials – a poetry anthology, audio guide, teachers’ guide, posters, and comprehensive website, http://www.poetryoutloud.org all aligned to national standards – to augment regular poetry curriculum with poetry recitation and a school-level competition.  School-level recitation champions advance to the district, state and national levels. Each district finalist and a chaperone from each participating school district will be reimbursed for their travel expenses to the State Finals on March 19, 2011 in Reno. The State Champion receives a cash prize of $1,000 and his/her school receives $2,000 for literary programs and the purchase of poetry books. The second and third place students each receive $500 and their schools receive $1,000 each to support literary programs and the purchase of poetry books.

What Happened in 2010?
Fourteen counties out of 16 with high schools participated with local and semi-final competitions.
The number of participants more than doubled from the previous year, with 40 schools represented and more than 2,000 students competing in semi-finals.  The State Finals, at the Siena Hotel in Reno, was heavily attended by families, friends and supporters from each county.

Emily Orellana, a junior at Rainshadow Community Charter School in Reno, took first place at the State Finals and competed for $50,000 in scholarships and school prizes in the National Finals in Washington, D.C. Returning to Washington D.C. for the second year in a row, she emerged as one of POL 2010’s national nine finalists - receiving $1,000 and $500 for the purchase of poetry books for her school. At the state final, Stephanie Kulla, a junior at Carson High School won second place and Erika Terry, a sophomore at Pershing County High School, took third. Each received $500, with $1,000 for her school. All participating school districts reported favorable outcomes, and the students who participated at the State Finals demonstrated exceptional levels of confidence, talent, and artistry.

Sponsors
Poetry Out Loud is a partnership program of the Nevada Arts Council, the Nevada Alliance of Arts Education, the Nevada Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.