Hawaii Student Makes History At Poetry Out Loud National Finals

High school students from across the nation competed in the national finals of the 13th Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest in Washington D.C. Returning Hawaii State champion, Nicholas Amador (12th grade), of Punahou School placed 2nd in the national finals and was awarded $10,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts. Nicholas represented the state at the national finals in Washington, DC and took 3rd place in 2016 and 2nd place in 2017. He is the only student to ever place in the top three more than once at the national finals. Nicholas performed: Snow Day by Billy Collins, Two Guitars by Victor Hernandez Cruz, and The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus.

Statement from SFCA's Executive Director Jonathan Johnson:

"We appreciate the way the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have made it possible to shine a light on the American tradition of poetry and recitation. As an island state, we value the next generation and their capacity to communicate accurately and clearly.

Partnering with the Honolulu Theatre for Youth is a wonderful example of how working with local organizations helps us expand our reach into all of the communities in our island state, and highlight the talent and hard work of our youth on a national stage. We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of the Honolulu Theatre for Youth and our shared mission to support arts and culture in Hawai`i.

We congratulate Nicholas Amador on his second place win! I had chicken skin watching his last recitation, and am proud that he selected a timely work to recite. He is fortunate to be in a nurturing school environment that places a high value on the arts."

About Poetry Out Loud

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance. Poetry Out Loud offers educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country. Students select, memorize, and recite poems from an anthology of more than 900 classic and contemporary poems. In this pyramid structure competition, winners advance from classroom recitation contests to school-wide competitions, then to the state competitions and, ultimately, to the national finals in Washington, DC. -NEA Website

About Honolulu Theatre for Youth

Honolulu Theatre for Youth is Hawaii's non-profit professional theatre company providing theatre and drama education programs that make a difference in the lives of Hawaii's young people and families. Founded in 1955, HTY is recognized the world over as one of America's most honored theatres. Explore HTY on the web at www.htyweb.org.

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