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PR Tips — Promotional Ideas For School-Level Poetry Out Loud Events

The Poetry Out Loud contest is a great way to raise school spirit and generate positive visibility for your school. Now that your school has been selected to participate in the official Poetry Out Loud contest, here are some simple ways to increase awareness of Poetry Out Loud in your school, as well as to share your students' achievements with the community at large.

In your school

• Display a Poetry Out Loud poster in the school library, cafeteria, or in hallways.
• Post a "save-the-date" notice on the school calendar and on bulletin boards throughout the school.
• Send a notice announcing classroom champions to the school website or newsletter.
• Publicize the school-wide competition on the school website and in the student newspaper.
• Write an article about the school-wide contest for your PTA newsletter.
• Announce classroom winners and the school-wide competition in the daily PA broadcast or at assemblies.
• Include a "poem-a-day" poetry recitation in the daily PA broadcast.

In your community

• Call your community newspaper (we suggest the metro section editor), and invite them to attend the school-wide competition.
• Invite a prominent member of the local media to serve as a judge or master of ceremonies for the school-wide competition.
• After the event, send the local newspaper a "follow-up" press release highlighting the contest, along with photos from your event.
• Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Use the letter to showcase your school's participation and to discuss the benefits of poetry in the classroom.

Sample School Media Advisory
Sample Follow-Up Press Release