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Want to participate in the Eastern Illinois Poetry Out Loud program in 2010-2011? Email Kelly White, 40 North Project Coordinator, at kwhite@40north.org.
40 North invites schools to participate
in 2010-2011 Poetry Out Loud Contest!
The Illinois Arts Council and 40 North | 88 West are now accepting registrations for the 2010-2011 Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, a free nationwide program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. To inquire about the program or to register, email Kelly White, 40 North Program Coordinator, at kwhite@40north.org, or call 217-351-9841.
Now entering its 6th year, Poetry Out Loud is a flexible, two-week poetry curriculum and in-class competition that encourages youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance, helping students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary heritage.
Starting at the classroom level, participating teachers receive free multimedia curriculum materials – teachers’ guides, a poetry anthology, audio guides, posters, and a comprehensive website (www.poetryoutloud.org), all aligned to national standards – that augment their regular poetry curriculum with poetry recitation and a classroom-level competition. Your school-level recitation champions compete to advance to the Regional, State and then National levels, where the top winner received a $20,000 college scholarship (see below for a more detailed list of prizes).
Hundreds of area students have participated in Poetry Out Loud. In 2009, two central Illinois students – Kareem Sayegh (first runner up) of University High School in Urbana and Samantha Porter (winner) of Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School – advanced to the statewide contest held in Springfield, Illinois in early March. Sayegh took top honors at the State Finals and qualified for an all-expenses-paid trip to the Nationals in Washington, where he ranked third in the nation. 40 North, as regional representative for Poetry Out Loud in East Central Illinois, acts as facilitator for the program locally and also hosts the Regional contest.
The Illinois Arts Council plans to again partner this year with 40 North | 88 West in Illinois’ east-central region to facilitate school participation throughout the area. Further details regarding Poetry Out Loud are available online at www.poetryoutloud.org . For more information regarding Illinois Arts Council programs, please visit www.state.il.us/agency/iac/, call 312/814-6750, toll-free in Illinois 800/237-6994, TTY 888/261-7957 for individuals who have hearing or voice impairments, or email iac.info@illinois.gov. Individuals who are blind, have low vision, or have learning impairments may obtain assistance regarding Illinois Arts Council written materials by contacting the agency’s ADA/504 Access Coordinator. For more information regarding 40 North | 88 West, visit www.40north.org, call 217/351-9841 or email sbentz@40north.org.
More about 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.
After successful pilot programs in Washington, DC, and Chicago, the second phase of Poetry Out Loud was launched in high schools across America in the spring of 2006 with tens of thousands of students participating. In 2006-2007, over 100,000 students competed. The program continued to grow during subsequent school years.
Contest Structure and Awards
Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure that begins at the classroom level. Winners advance to the school-wide competition, then to the state competition, and ultimately to the National Finals.
Winners at the state level receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip, with adult chaperone, to Washington to compete for the national championship. The state winner's school receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. A runner-up in each state receives $100, with $200 for his or her school library. A total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends is awarded to the winners at the National Finals.
Program Materials and Schedule
Poetry Out Loud curriculum materials include print and online poetry anthologies, a teacher’s guide to help instructors teach recitation, an audio CD featuring distinguished actors and writers, a DVD of National Finals performances, promotional and media guides, and a comprehensive Website. Hard copies of all materials are free for teachers participating in the official program. All curriculum materials are also available for free download on the Poetry Out Loud Website. Schools not involved in the official contest are welcome to use the online materials.
40 North | 88 West
As Champaign County’s Arts, Culture and Entertainment Council, 40 North is committed to cultivating creativity in Champaign County. Through advocacy, information and collaboration, 40 North supports and promotes the important role that arts, culture and entertainment hold in making the community a great place to live, work, learn and play. For more information, visit www.40north.org.
For more on Poetry Out Loud, contact:
Kelly White, Program Coordinator
40 North | 88 West - Champaign County Arts, Culture & Entertainment Council
1817 S. Neil St. Suite 201
Champaign, IL 61820
kwhite@40north.org
ph. 217.351.9841
fx. 217.359.1809