NEW DATE
Friday, February 17 at 2:30 pm (Beaverton Main Campus)
Open to high school students (grades 9th – 12th only)
REGISTER HERE by February 10
The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have partnered with U.S. state arts agencies to support Poetry Out Loud, a contest that encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. Homeschoolers are welcome to compete.
Competition Information: Contestants memorize and recite three poems for a panel of judges and the audience. This is a poem. All poems must be selected from the Poetry Out Loud print or online anthology. Only versions of poems from the official anthology may be used in the contest. Information about how to recite a poem is available here. For the VH competition, student must have 3 poems selected, and must be prepared to perform 2 for the VH competition. One selection must be 25 lines or fewer, and one must be written before the 21st century. The same poem may be used to meet both criteria, and may be the student’s third poem. Poem selections must be turned in by early January, with the two you are planning to perform in January indicated (the winners of our competition have to be ready to perform all three for the regional/state level) so that the judges have time to familiarize themselves with your selections. Contestants will be evaluated by a panel of judges. The winner competes at the Oregon State Regionals in March. At the state and national finals, students must perform all 3 of their poetry selections and those winners advance to the National Finals in April. Each state level winner receives $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip with an adult chaperone to Washington to compete for the national championship. More information about Poetry Outloud here. Register for the competition here.