The Oregon Arts Commission, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, announces the 2012 Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. Now in its seventh year, Poetry Out Loud encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance and competition.

Schools that utilize the Poetry Out Loud curriculum and present school-wide contests will advance one student to regional competitions in March 2012. The top three finishers from each region will compete at the state contest March 31, in Salem. Oregon’s state champion will advance to the national finals scheduled for May 13 through 15 in Washington, D.C.

Poetry Out Loud seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers by capitalizing on the latest trends in poetry – recitation and performance. The program builds on the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, seen in the slam poetry movement and through the immense popularity of rap music. Poetry Out Loud invites the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word and theater into the English class. Through Poetry Out Loud, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage.

The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have provided grants for state contests, established prizes and will coordinate the national finals next May. With this support, the Oregon Arts Commission is able to make Poetry Out Loud available to all public, private and parochial high schools across the state.

“Due to growing participation from schools, the Arts Commission is excited to add regional competitions to the Oregon contest,” said Deborah Vaughn, arts education coordinator. “Students have the benefit of sharing their love of poetry with other students from around the state. We especially like the number of returning students who compete several years in a row.” Oregon’s 2011 Poetry Out Loud champion, Nathaniel Dunaway from Crook County High School in Prineville, represented his school at state three years in a row before winning the right to represent Oregon at the national contest.

“Learning great poetry by heart develops the mind and imagination,” said Dana Gioia, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “By immersing themselves in powerful language and ideas, students develop the ability to speak well, especially in public. This is a skill they will use in the workplace and the community for the rest of their lives.”

Students who participate in the official Poetry Out Loud program may be eligible to compete in the 2012 state and national finals. The state champion receives $200 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete for the national championship. The state champion’s school receives a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. The runner-up in the state competition receives $100, with $200 for his or her school library. The national champion wins a $20,000 college scholarship; the first runner-up, $10,000; and the third runner-up, $5,000, with additional money for the respective school libraries. In total, Poetry Out Loud awards $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends at the national finals.

The NEA and the Poetry Foundation provide state arts agencies with free standards-based curriculum materials for use by participating schools. These materials include print and online poetry anthologies; a teacher’s guide with sample lesson plans to help instructors teach recitation and performance, a DVD of successful performances from past national competitions and a CD with poetry readings by well-known actors and writers such as James Earl Jones, Anthony Hopkins, Alyssa Milano and N. Scott Momaday. Downloadable program materials and additional resources are available at www.poetryoutloud.org

Poetry Out Loud requires less than three weeks of class time. Registration information for Oregon high schools is available at www.oregonartscommission.org/poetryoutloud

Schools that wish to be part of the official Poetry Out Loud program must register with the Oregon Arts Commission by Dec. 1, 2011. Contact Deb Vaughn, arts education coordinator, (503) 986-0085, or deborah.vaughn@state.or.us