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Poetry Out Loud State Finals

Utah Arts Council

March 27, 2008

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The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation present Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, in partnership with the Utah Arts Council. Poetry Out Loud is a program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. Schools are invited to participate in classroom and school-wide contests, advancing a school representative to a state competition on March 27, 2008. State champions will advance to the National Finals, to take place on April 28-29, 2008 in Washington, DC. Amanda Fujiki from Provo's Meridian School was selected as the 2007 Utah Poetry Out Loud champion and represented the state in the 2007 National Finals in Washington, DC, last May. 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 the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as seen in the slam poetry movement and the immense popularity of rap music among youth. Poetry Out Loud invites the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word, and theater into the English class. Through Poetry Out Loud, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. 'Learning great poetry by heart develops the mind and imagination,' said Dana Gioia, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. 'It isn't just an arts program. By immersing themselves in powerful language and ideas, the students will develop their ability to speak well, especially in public. This is a skill they will use in the workplace and the community for the rest of their lives.' 'The public recitation of great poetry,' said John Barr, President of the Poetry Foundation, 'is a way to honor the speaker, the poem, and the audience all at once. Poetry Out Loud brings new energy to an ancient art by returning it to the classrooms of America.' 'From cowboy poetry to contemporary verse, Utah has strong ties to the world of poetry. Our 2007 winner, Amanda Fujiki provided an excellent example of the level of excellence Utah's children are capable of achieving. I was impressed by her performance last year, and I look forward to hearing this year's contestants as well,' said Margaret Hunt, Executive Director of the Utah Arts Council. The NEA and the Poetry Foundation have partnered to provide administrative grants to state arts agencies, prizes, and will coordinate the National Finals next April. With this support, the Utah Arts Council will aim to continually increase the number of participating high schools in Utah. Additionally, the NEA and the Poetry Foundation will provide State Arts Agencies with free, standards-based curriculum materials for use by participating schools. These materials include print and online poetry anthologies, a teacher's guide with sample lesson plans to help instructors teach recitation and performance, and an audio CD featuring well-known actors and writers such as James Earl Jones, Anthony Hopkins, Alyssa Milano, and N. Scott Momaday. Program materials are available for download on the website, www.poetryoutloud.org, which offers additional resources.

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  Tickets: Free Admission

• Dates & Times

  Dates:
  March 27, 2008

  Times:
  Thursday 7:00pm

• Venue Info

  Salt Lake City Public Library

  210 East 400 South Salt Lake City, UT 84111

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  Greater Salt Lake

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