Poetry Out Loud
What is Poetry Out Loud?
During the 2014-2015 academic year, Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest celebrated its 10 year anniversary of bringing an appreciation of poetry to high school students and schools throughout the United States. Using the Poetry Out Loud curriculum, teachers guide students toward a deeper understanding of the power of language and literature. Students develop a personal relationship with great poems while learning about their literary heritage through poetry recitation. Plus, participants master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and improve their reading comprehension scores.
How it Works
The Florida Division of Arts and Culture works with the National Endowment of the Arts and the Poetry Foundation to distribute poetry study materials to participating high school teachers. Using the Poetry Out Loud Teacher’s Guide, teachers incorporate poetry into their classroom curriculum while also preparing for school-wide poetry recitation competitions. Each school's winner then comes to Florida's capital with a chaperone to participate in the Poetry Out Loud State Finals contest.
The winner of the Poetry Out Loud State Finals for Florida was be awarded $200 and given an all-expense paid trip (with an adult chaperone) to Washington, DC to compete in the Poetry Out Loud National Finals. The State Champion’s school library receives a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials. The runner-up receives $100; an additional $200 goes to his or her school library. More than $50,000 in prizes and school stipends is awarded annually at the National Finals with the national winner receiving $20,000 in college scholarship funds and national media recognition.
How to Participate
Interested teachers may review the Poetry Out Loud classroom materials, poems, instructions and other resources at poetryoutloud.org. While teachers, students, and poetry lovers everywhere can use the Poetry Out Loud website to organize their own contests, the sanctioned contest is limited to the programs run by each states’ arts agency. Schools that would like to participate in Florida’s official Poetry Out Loud program, receive the Poetry Out Loud toolkit, and send a student to Florida’s Poetry Out Loud State Finals should register their school below. Within two weeks of registering, schools will receive the Poetry Out Loud toolkit which includes a Teacher’s Guide, lessons plans, promotional posters and a “Learning Recitation” Companion Guide and DVD.
Please contact the Division of Arts and Culture's Poetry Out Loud State Program Coordinator, Teri Abstein at 850.245.6299 for further assistance or for more information.
About the Program
Poetry Out Loud was started by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. Beginning with a very successful pilot program in 2005, the program in Florida has expanded to include additional Florida school districts, including public schools, private schools, parochial schools and home-schooled students, throughout the state.
Poetry Out Loud is administered in partnership with the State Arts Agencies of all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. The Poetry Out Loud program awards a total of $100,000 in prizes to high school students and their schools each year.
For additional information, please check the National Endowment of the Arts and the Poetry Foundation’s website at poetryoutloud.org or contact Florida's State Program Coordinator via the information given below.
Contact
Florida Poetry Out Loud Program Coordinator
850.245.6299
