NJ Poetry Out Loud Competition Names State Champion

Beatrice Dimaculangan, a junior from Jonathan Dayton High School, was named State Champion at the 2015 NJ Poetry Out Loud State Finals competition, part of the national poetry recitation program. The state finals took place Friday at the Richardson Auditorium in Princeton University's Alexander Hall and kicked-off the International Princeton Poetry Festival. Ms. Dimaculangan will move on to represent New Jersey at the national finals in Washington, DC in April to compete against 52 champions from every state and territory--all vying for the national title and the chance to win prizes including college scholarships.

Now in its tenth year, Poetry Out Loud is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation, and implemented by State Arts Councils across the country. New Jersey ranks first in the nation for both student (37,644) and teacher (908) participation.

The NJ State Council on the Arts in partnership with Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey, and Discover Jersey Arts (an initiative of the Council and the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation) presents New Jersey Poetry Out Loud. The program is administered in partnership with Bergen County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs, Rutgers Camden Center for the Arts, Mayo Performing Arts Center, South Orange Performing Arts Center, Two River Theater, CavanKerry Press, NJPAC and PCK Media. The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey provides support for the NJPOL State Finals.

"I'm just glad I didn't have to judge," said New Jersey State Council on the Arts Chair, Elizabeth Mattson. "All of the Regional Finalists were so talented and Beatrice will be a great State Champion!"

The state finals are the culmination of a competition that began in the fall and included a record-breaking number of New Jersey students from 160 high schools, including 1 homeschool association. The 12 state finalists successfully competed in classroom, school, and regional-level contests before qualifying to compete in today's competition.

Along with Ms. Dimaculangan, Sara Zaat, a senior from Mahwah High School earned the title of State Runner-Up. Following is a list of the 12 student finalists:

Beatrice Dimaculangan, Jonathan Dayton High School, Springfield - State Champion
Sara Zaat, Mahwah High School, Mahwah - Runner-Up

Georglana Balisage, Thomas Jefferson Arts, Elizabeth

Angela Benson, Vineland High School, Vineland

Margaret Dods, Mainland Regional High School, Linwood

Dennis Harrington, Madison High School, Madison

Jocelyn Hedgeman, Cobblestone Homeschool Association, Deptford

Nicole Jenkins , Piscataway High School, Piscataway

Amos Koffa, Burlington County Institute of Technology, Medford

Patrick Monaghan, Red Bank Regional High School, Little SIlver

Aaleah Oliver, High Tech High School, North Bergen

Lauren Palmieri, Hanover Park High School, East Hanover

Student recitations are evaluated by a panel of jurors using standardized, national criteria based on merit and accuracy.

New Jersey Poetry Out Loud is part of the national Poetry Out Loud program made possible through the funding and leadership of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation. The State Champion and runner-up will receive cash awards and stipends provided by the NEA and the Poetry Foundation for the purchase of poetry books by their schools. The State Champion will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC to compete against 52 other State, District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Champions in the National Finals in April for prizes totaling $50,000 in awards and school stipends. Learn more about New Jersey Poetry Out Loud and watch clips from last year's state finals at www.jerseyarts.com/pol.