In its 10th anniversary year, over 10,800 high school students across Virginia delved into great classical and contemporary works of poetry revisiting the arts of recitation and memorization through Poetry Out Loud.
This national program encourages students to learn poetry through performance, public speaking, and memorization.
Brandon Gonzalez, a 12th grader at Colonial Forge High School (Stafford), and Poetry Out Loud participant said, “Each poem has its own unique interpretation. The beauty of reciting poetry is that every person has to discover what the poem is saying to them.”
The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have partnered with Virginia Commission for the Arts to present Poetry Out Loud. 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 a resurgence of poetry as an oral art form and incorporates the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word and theatre to help students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.
The Wayne Theatre will host the Region 3 competition on Friday, Feb. 26, from 1-3 p.m., in the lecture hall of the historic theatre.
The event is free and open to the public.
Each winner at the state level receives $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip with an adult chaperone to Washington to compete for the national championship. The state winner’s school receives a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. The first runner-up in each state receives $100, with $200 for his or her school library. A total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends is awarded annually at the National Finals.
For more information, visit arts.virginia.gov/programs_POL.html.
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Chris Graham
