About the Program

Poetry Out Loud 2006 National Finals Video Produced by WGBH Educational Foundation and renowned filmmaker David Grubin, this short video highlights the 2006 National Finals of the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. Interviews with state champions reveal how they got involved in the competition, and how it transformed their ideas about poetry and themselves. 12 minutes. QuickTime : Windows : Real Note on accessibility: the video is captioned. In Quicktime, click on "CC" to turn captions on or off.

Recitation and performance are major new trends in poetry. There has been a recent resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as seen in the slam poetry movement and the immense popularity of hip-hop music. Poetry Out Loud builds on that momentum by inviting the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word, and theater into the English class.

The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have partnered with State Arts Agencies of the United States to support the expansion of Poetry Out Loud, which encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance. This exciting program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.

After successful pilot programs in Washington, DC, and Chicago, the second phase of Poetry Out Loud was launched in high schools across America in the spring of 2006 with tens of thousands of students participating. Last year, over 300,000 students competed. William Farley from Virginia was named National Champion on April 28, 2009.

The program will continue to grow during the 2009-2010 school year, culminating in the 2010 National Finals in Washington, DC, on April 27, 2010.

CONTEST STRUCTURE AND AWARDS

Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure that begins at the classroom level. Winners will advance to the school-wide competition, then to the state competition, and ultimately to the National Finals.

More information about the contest's structure can be found here.

Each winner at the state level will receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington to compete for the national championship. The state winner's school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. A runner-up in each state will receive $100, with $200 for his or her school library. A total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends at the National Finals will be awarded to the winners.

Awards will be made in the form of lump sum cash payouts, reportable to the IRS. Tax liabilities are the sole responsibility of the winners and their families.

PROGRAM MATERIALS AND SCHEDULE

Poetry Out Loud curriculum materials include print and online poetry anthologies, a teachers guide to help instructors teach recitation and performance, an audio CD featuring distinguished actors and writers, promotional and media guides, and a comprehensive Website. Hard copies of all materials are free for schools participating in the official program. All curriculum materials are also available for download on the Poetry Out Loud Website. Schools not officially involved in the official contest are welcome to use the online materials.

While teachers, students, and poetry lovers everywhere can use this website and its accompanying educational materials to organize their own recitation contests, the official contest is limited to the programs run by each state's Arts Agency. If you are an educator interested in participating in the official program, please contact your State Arts Agency.

Poetry Out Loud materials are sent to high schools in September, and participating schools run the program through early winter. (The program requires only two or three weeks of class time.) States will hold their competitions by mid-March. Following the state finals, the National Finals and Semifinals will be held in Washington, DC, April 26 & 27, 2010.