Oklahoma Arts Council Opens Registration for POETRY OUT LOUD Competition

Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park announce registration for Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. The competition, presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. Registration is now open for Oklahoma High Schools.

During October through January, schools are invited to participate in classroom and school wide contests, advancing to a state competition in March. State champions will advance to the National Finals, to take place on April 23-25, 2018 at the Lisner Auditorium at The George Washington University in Washington D.C.

Kristine Guerrero from Lawton High School was selected as the 2017 Oklahoma Poetry Out Loud champion and represented the state in the 2017 National Finals in Washington, DC, last April. More than 315,000 students from 2,300 high schools took part in the 2016-2017 Poetry Out Loud program.

During the competition, contestants will recite works they selected from an anthology of more than 900 classic and contemporary poems. Students participating in the Poetry Out Loud program have benefited from educational materials created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. These standards-based curriculum materials include an online anthology, a teacher's guide, lesson plans, and video and audio on the art of recitation. Schools are welcome to download these resources at poetryoutloud.org.

How to get involved in Poetry Out Loud

High school teachers who are interested in participating in Poetry Out Loud should know that the program may be incorporated with existing poetry units. High schools that wish to be part of the official Poetry Out Loud program must contact Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park to participate. Call 405-235-3700 for more information.

Teachers should register at http://www.oklahomashakespeare.com/education/poetry-out-loud/

Poetry Out Loud Awards

The winner of the Poetry Out Loud Oklahoma finals will receive $200, and the winner's school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials. The first runner-up will receive $100, with $200 for his or her school library. The state champion of the Poetry Out Loud Oklahoma final will receive an all-expenses-paid trip (with an adult chaperone) to compete in the National Finals in Washington, DC, on April 23-25, 2018. The Poetry Out Loud National Finals will present a total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends, with a $20,000 award for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion.

About the National Endowment for the Arts

Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America's rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. For more information, visit arts.gov.

About the Poetry Foundation

The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience. The Poetry Foundation seeks to be a leader in shaping a receptive climate for poetry by developing new audiences, creating new avenues for delivery, and encouraging new kinds of poetry through innovative literary prizes and programs. For more information, please visit www.poetryfoundation.org