Registration for the Seventh Annual Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest (POL) is now closed. If you have questions, please contact Maryjane Dorofachuk, Arts Education Coordinator, at  or Allison Sertic at.

Thanks to generous support from NV Energy, the Seventh Annual Nevada Poetry Out Loud Recitation Competition (POL) will continue as a statewide program, with high-schooled aged students across Nevada learning about our great literary heritage through the memorization and presentation of classic and contemporary poetry. Semi-finalists from school districts with high schools will travel to Reno on March 24 to compete in the Nevada State Finals; 12 noon – 3 p.m. (Location to be announced)
Cash prizes totaling $4,000 will be awarded to Nevada’s first, second and third place winners and their respective schools. The Nevada State Champion then competes against students from across the nation and its territories in Washington D.C. on May 13 – 15, 2012. A total of $50,000 in scholarship and school prizes will be awarded, with the national champion receiving $20,000.

Click here for a list of scheduled semi-finals

Why Poetry?
As John Barr, president of The Poetry Foundation noted, “…In the hands of the poet, our everyday speech becomes a musical instrument.” Poetry Out Loud engages students in the dynamic aspects of the spoken word and theatre through poetry recitation. The program encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance, which help students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about our literary heritage.

What Do Teachers Get?
Starting at the classroom level, teachers are provided with free multimedia curriculum materials – a poetry anthology, audio guide, teachers’ guide, posters, and comprehensive website, http://www.poetryoutloud.org all aligned to national standards – to augment regular poetry curriculum with poetry recitation and a school-level competition.  School-level recitation champions advance to the district, state and national levels. Each district finalist and a chaperone from each participating school district receive support to attend the Nevada State Finals. The State Champion receives a cash prize of $1,000 and his/her school receives $1,000 for literary programs and the purchase of poetry books. The second and third place students each receive $500 and their schools receive $500 each to support literary programs and the purchase of poetry books.

**What Happened in 2011?
**Fifteen counties out of sixteen with high schools participated with local and semi-final competitions in the Sixth Annual Poetry Out Loud Program, with 45 schools represented and more than 2,500 students engaged at the local and state levels.  The State Finals, at the Knitting Factory in Reno, was filled with families, friends and supporters from each county.

2011 Nevada Poetry Out Loud District Semi-finalists

Emily Orellana, a senior at Rainshadow Community Charter High School in Reno, was named the Nevada State Champion for the third year in a row, and represented Nevada at the National Finals in Washington, D.C. For the second year in a row, Orellana emerged as one of nine national finalists, receiving another $1,000 and $500 for the purchase of poetry books for her school.

At the 2011 Nevada State Finals, Sarah Jamieson, a senior at Churchill County High School won second place and Dani Cabot, a senior at the College of Southern Nevada High School West, took third. Each received $500, with $1,000 for her school. All participating school districts reported favorable outcomes, and the students who participated at the State Finals demonstrated exceptional levels of confidence, talent, and artistry.

Justine Chiapetta, Poetry Foundation; Kathleen Sandoval, First Lady of Nevada;
Emily Orellana, 1st place; Dani Cabot, 3rd place; Sarah Jameison, 2nd place.

**Sponsors
**2012 Poetry Out Loud is a partnership program of the Nevada Arts Council, the Nevada Alliance of Arts Education, the Nevada Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, and is sponsored by NV Energy.