New Hampshire's Poetry Out Loud Program
The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have partnered with State Arts Agencies of the United States to support Poetry Out Loud, which encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance. This exciting program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.
The Monadnock Writers' Group serves as the fiscal agent for New Hampshire’s Poetry Out Loud program. Longtime MWG member, Rodger Martin, is the state director for Poetry Out Loud in New Hampshire.
To learn more about the national Poetry Out Loud program and peruse their anthology of poems and other resources, go to: www.poetryoutloud.org. For more information on the Poetry Out Loud program in New Hampshire, contact Catherine O'Brian at 603-271-0795 or Catherine.R.OBrian@dcr.nh.gov or visit the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts Web site at: http://www.nh.gov/nharts/newsandcalendar/POL/2009/pol3.htm
New Hampshire Poetry Out Loud Announces 2009 Champion
This year over 5,000 high school students from 24 New Hampshire high schools participated in Poetry Out Loud.
Judges crowned Cote Laramie, a junior at Concord High School, as the 2009 New Hampshire Poetry Out Loud State Champion on Sat, March 21st in a thrilling competition between the top ten high school finalists from New Hampshire's East and West regionals at Keene State College.
Laramie will represent the state of New Hampshire in Washington, D.C., on April 27 and 28, competing for the national title and tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships against state champions from the other 50 states, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Judges, including out-going New Hampshire Poet Laureate Pat Fargnoli, MWG President Leigh Marthe and MWG Board member Ann Robinson, chose Plymouth Regional High School senior Molly McCahan as alternate champion should Laramie be unable to represent the state. Laramie won with his recitation of "Two Guitars" by Victor Hernandez Cruz.
Before a crowd of over 150, ten representatives from the New Hampshire East and West regionals held earlier this month squared off by reciting two poems each which they chose from an anthology posted by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation. All were welcomed by House Majority Floor Leader Rep. Daniel Eaton who spoke about how a poetry success at his primary school sparked him toward public speaking and then a career that has led him to the State House. Steven Young, Executive Director of the national Poetry Foundation in Chicago, Illinois, one of the major co-sponsors of the event, (along with the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation), flew in from Chicago to observe the competition and noted, "Over 300,000 high school students across the United States participated in Poetry Out Loud this year."
Rodger Martin, state director for Poetry Out Loud in New Hampshire, called it "an extraordinary afternoon where these finalists moved us to tears and to laughter with one spine-tingling performance after another."
Catherine O'Brian, of the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts noted, "This is the fourth year of the Poetry Out Loud program in New Hampshire. We are delighted to see the way this wonderful poetry program has expanded so visibly to increasing numbers of students and schools. This program is introducing scores of high school students to our best poetry in the most tangible and exciting way."
Jillian Peters of Hopkinton High School and Campbell Lozuaway-McComsey of Portsmouth High School completed the final four, while Nellie Teeling of Cocheco Arts and Technology Academy (Dover, New Hampshire), Marissa Smith of Goffstown High School, Amanda Kruczynski from Pembroke Academy, Victoria Duquette of Pittsfield Middle High School, Lianna Bessette of Salem High School, and Victoria Hastings of Timberlane High School represented the other 8 finals. Each of these students had finished among the top five in regionals from among the 24 other New Hampshire high schools and 5,000 students who participated in this year's program.
All 48 high school champions and alternates have been offered scholarships of up to $15,000 from New England College and up to $11,000 from Southern New Hampshire University. Laramie also won a check for $200, plus $500 for Concord high School Library to purchase poetry books. McCahan won a check for $100 plus $200 for Portsmouth High School library to purchase poetry books. Laramie and one chaperone will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC, to compete in the nationals where Garrison Keillor will be one of the judges and Scott Simon of NPR's Weekend Edition will be Master of Ceremonies.
Two-time Emmy-awarding winning Master of Ceremonies Ira Joe Fisher called the afternoon "a truly memorable day, exquisitely organized and executed" and something he said he was proud to be a part of.
Calibration poems were delivered by Sven Wiberg of Oyster River High School and Sarah Walton of John Stark Regional. Photographs of the East and West Regional and the finals are available at http://www.nh.gov/nharts/newsandcalendar/POL/2009/pol3.htm.
This website is maintained by the Monadnock Writers' Group © 2009. All rights reserved.