In an earlier post during the past week you read about the 10 students from Maine high schools who were finalists the Maine Poetry Out Loud program. After three rounds of recitations Emily Paruk, a senior from Gorham High School emerged to represent Maine at the National Poetry Out Loud event on May 2. If she is successful on that day Emily will compete in the national finals on May 27. The runner-up is Helen Strout, a senior at Cape Elizabeth High School.
Emily Paruk recited Once the World Was Perfect by Joy Harjo, Fairy-tale Logic by A.E. Stallings, and view Emily reciting “Often Rebuked, Yet Always Back Returning” by Emily Bronte below.
View Helen Strout reciting “I Know, I Remember, But How Can I Help You?” by Hayden Carruth below.
Maine’s Poetry Out Loud program is organized by the Maine Arts Commission in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.
For more information about Maine Poetry Out Loud, visit MaineArts.com or contact Meg Fournier, Interim Director of Media and Performing Arts, Maine Arts Commission at megan.b.fournier@maine.gov. More than four million students have participated in Poetry Out Loud over the past 16 years, many advancing from classroom competitions to school competitions to state competitions to, finally, the national finals. For more information about the national Poetry Out Loud program, visit poetryoutloud.org.
Read about the national event and details at THIS LINK. If you teach at a Maine high school and would like your school to participate during the 2021-22 school year you can get started now by reading about the details of the program. There are many components and planning ahead will help you prepare. The program is administered at the state level by the Maine Arts Commission.
Washington, DC—For the first time in the program’s 16-year history, the Poetry Out Loud™ national semifinals and finals will be held virtually this May. Each year, high school students nationwide experience Poetry Out Loud, memorizing and reciting classic and contemporary poetry and participating in local, regional, and state competitions. From the thousands of students who competed in 2020-2021, 55 finalists—one from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa—will advance to compete in the Poetry Out Loud national finals. The virtual finals will culminate in the announcement of the 2021 national champion, who will receive a grand prize of $20,000. Visit poetryoutloud.org for the list of the 2021 Poetry Out Loud state and jurisdictional champions and their high schools.
Representing Maine at the national event will be Emily Paruk from Gorham High School. Emily will be reciting Once the World Was Perfect by Joy Harjo, Fairy-tale Logic by A.E. Stallings, and [‘Often Rebuked, Yet Always Back Returning’] by Emily Bronte. You can learn more about Maine’s state recitations and hear Emily reciting at the blog post from yesterday, April 20.
Poetry Out Loud is a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and the state and jurisdictional arts agencies. This national program encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students, helping them to master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. The 2021 finalists come from a diverse range of communities around the United States, including for the first time Guam and American Samoa.
“We know this has been a challenging year for students and we hope Poetry Out Loud has provided them with an opportunity to find joy, comfort, or explore new ideas in a poem,” said Ann Eilers, acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “We encourage audiences to tune in to the national finals to celebrate the hard work and incredible accomplishments of these students and cheer on their state champions.”
On Sunday, May 2, 2021 beginning at 12pm ET, the Poetry Out Loud national semifinals will be broadcast through a one-time-only webcast at arts.gov/poetry-out-loud. Each of the 55 champions submit in advance video recordings of their poetry recitations, which will be reviewed and scored by judges with expertise in poetry, performance, and the literary arts. The recitations from all 55 students will be broadcast on May 2 as part of one of three regional semifinals, and will include the announcement of the top nine students (three from each region) who will advance in the competition. Visit arts.gov/poetry-out-loud for the full semifinals schedule.
On Thursday, May 27 at 7:00 pm ET, actor and writer Shaun Taylor-Corbett will host the 2021 Poetry Out Loud national finals. Webcast at arts.gov/poetry-out-loud, the evening will feature pre-recorded recitations, live interviews with the top nine finalists, and the live announcement of the 2021 Poetry Out Loud National Champion. The national finals judges will include Cathy Linh Che, Eduardo C. Corral, Gabriel Cortez, Idris Goodwin, Elisa New, and Branden Wellington.
“We are so grateful to our partners across the country for making Poetry Out Loud possible in this evolving reality,” said Justine Haka, Poetry Foundation program manager. “The students themselves have been an inspiration, joining this program because they are open to the power of poetry and what it can do to connect us while we are apart.”
A total of $50,000 in awards and school or organizational stipends will be awarded at the national finals, including $20,000 for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion, and $10,000 and $5,000 for the second- and third-place finalists. The Poetry Foundation provides and administers all aspects of the monetary prizes awarded for Poetry Out Loud. The Poetry Out Loud national finals are administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. Closed captioning and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided for both the Poetry Out Loud national semifinals and finals.
Join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram using #POL21 and #IAmPoetryOutLoud and follow the National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation at @PoetryOutLoud, @NEAArts, and @PoetryFound.
The Poetry Out Loud state champions also had the opportunity to highlight their own original poetry by competing in the Poetry Ourselves competition. State champions were able to submit an original work of poetry in one of two categories: either a written poem or a video of a spoken poem. The winner and runner-up in each category will be selected by poet Eve L. Ewing and announced in May.
About Poetry Out Loud
Poetry Out Loud starts at the classroom/school or at the local level with an area organization. Students memorize and recite poems they select from an anthology of more than 1,100 classic and contemporary poems. Winners then may advance to a regional and/or state competition, and ultimately to the national finals. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.1 million students and 68,000 teachers from 17,000 schools and organizations across the nation have participated in Poetry Out Loud. For more information about Poetry Out Loud and how to participate in the 2021-2022 program, visit poetryoutloud.org.
Poetry Out Loud in Maine is administered by the Maine Arts Commission. For more information visit the MAC POL page at THIS LINK.
It is very exciting to see Allan Monga, Maine’s State Poetry Out Loud (POL) 2018 champ, as the emcee of the Maine state finals this year. Unfortunately, they couldn’t be held in person but how wonderful that they’ve been recorded so you can enjoy watching and listening to students from 10 Maine high schools reciting poetry.
CONGRATULATIONS to the Maine poetry student finalists and THANK YOU TEACHERS!
EMMA COLLINS, grade 12 – North Yarmouth Academy, Teacher: Ross Markonish
HAZEL DOW, grade 11 – Waterville Senior High School, Teacher: Thomas Creeley
KATELYN NESTOR, grade 10 – Gardiner Area High School, Teacher: Melissa Cheeseman
SOFIA STOCKWELL, grade 10 – North Haven Community School, Teacher: Matt Rich
HELEN STOUT, grade 12 – Cape Elizabeth High School, Teacher: Lisa Melanson
ROSE TUTTLE, grade 9 – Mount Ararat High School, Teacher: Emily Vail
ADA VANCIL, grade 11 – John Bapst Memorial High School, Teacher: Jennifer Babcock
MAGNOLIA VANDIVER, grade 12 – George Stevens Academy, Teacher: Maria Johnson
After three rounds of strong performances, the Maine Arts Commission POL judges announced Emily Paruk, a senior from Gorham High School, to represent Maine in May at the National POL event. Helen Strout, a senior at Cape Elizabeth High School, finished runner-up. The Maine State Finals judges were Mihku Paul, Ekhlas Ahmed, Erica Rubin Irish, and Todd McKinley.
Emily Paruk recited Once the World Was Perfect by Joy Harjo, Fairy-tale Logic by A.E. Stallings, and [‘Often Rebuked, Yet Always Back Returning’] by Emily Bronte.
This will be the first year in the program’s 16-year history that the national competition to be held virtually. Her first appearance is May 2 at noon during one of three semifinal matches. If she advances beyond the semifinal, Paruk will compete in the national finals on May 27 at 7 p.m.
Maine’s POL program is organized by the Maine Arts Commission in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.
For more information about Maine Poetry Out Loud, visit MaineArts.com or contact Meg Fournier, Interim Director of Media and Performing Arts, Maine Arts Commission at megan.b.fournier@maine.gov. More than four million students have participated in Poetry Out Loud over the past 16 years, many advancing from classroom competitions to school competitions to state competitions to, finally, the national finals. For more information about the national POL program, visit poetryoutloud.org.
The film includes three rounds of student recitation videos, as well as performances by musicians from Maine Academy of Modern Music. Enjoy the recorded state finals below.
We can, and many educators do, use poetry and creative writing in their classrooms whether they teach English Language Arts or another subject. Many arts educators use poetry to enhance, dove-tail, and/or integrate into their arts subject. When Amanda Gorman recited her poem at the Presidential Inauguration in January it made a huge impression on citizens of all ages. If you’re not incorporating poetry into your arts classroom I can’t think of a better time to do so.
In recognition of National Poetry Month this post is about resources and opportunities about learning more about poetry. You may find it useful for yourself and for your students. If you have any resources please feel free to share at the bottom of this post or email me at meartsed@gmail.com and I can include them in a blog post for others to learn from.
POETRY RESOURCES
Tim Needles is an artist and a veteran art teacher who uses poetry in his art classroom. The article Video Poems Add Digital Literacy to Creativity and Expression was authored by Jerry Fingal for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) blog. Needles suggests places for teachers to start and tips for success in using the simplest forms of technology when making a visual poem. He also goes into ideas for connections with other subjects including STEAM ideas. “Teachers can start withsimple poetry, like a haiku, and use whatever technology is available. As for images, nature is always good for visuals.” An aside, if you’re interested in technology standards ISTE is the place to look.
Poets.org is a website filled with resources. You can subscribe (on the front page) and receive in your email box a “poem-a-day”. Each month there is a guest editor which changes the flavor month to month. You can read the poem or listen to it being recited. At the end there is a small segment called “about this poem” which provides interesting information about the poem. Very informative.
The Academy of American Poets is providing their Annual Gala, this year entitled Poetry & the Creative Mind. It is normally held in person but this year, the 18th celebration, will be held virtually. You can register at no cost. The event is on April 29, 7:30, and marks the 25th anniversary of National Poetry Month.
The Poetry Out Loud finals are held annual with each state represented by one high school student. If they’re lucky to make it through the three rounds they will each recite 3 poems that they have practiced over and over and know insider out. This year the national event will be held virtually with the semi-finals held on Sunday, May 3 and the finals on May 27. Both events will be streamlined on arts.gov. You can learn more about the events at THIS LINK. The Poetry Out Loud site has a huge collection of poems that you can download.
If you’re interested in joining a group of people who are working on writing poetry consider participating in The Poetry Place. Maine Teaching Artist Brian Evans-Jones established the Poetry Place. Brian is a member of the Maine Arts Commission roster and has participated in the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (now MAEPL). For several years he was involved in Maine’s Poetry Out Loud (POL) program as a judge and he worked with two of our state representatives who represented Maine in the national POL program.
The Poetry Foundation has numerous resources including poems that you can read, download, and listen. Check out their site for all they have to offer.
Amanda Gorman
Just after the presidential inauguration Amanda told “CBS This Morning” co-host Anthony Mason: “Poetry is a weapon. It is an instrument of social change…and poetry is one of the most political arts out there because it demands that you rupture and destabilize the language in which you’re working with. Inherently, you are pushing against the status quo. And so for me, it’s always existed in that tradition of truth-telling.”
Maine is fortunate to have Brian Evans-Jones as a poet and writer. He has established a unique website called The Poetry Place. What’s so interesting about it is that he offers The Poetry Parlor to offer support and an online learning environment for participants to write poetry. If you’re interested in writing poetry or perhaps you write poetry but want to learn more about writing poetry, I recommend Brian and The Poetry Place. Here are some questions (from Brian’s site) that can help you get a better idea:
Do you want to write better poems?
Do you wish you knew more about the techniques of poetry?
Do you need help with ideas and getting poems written?
Would you love to connect with like-minded poets?
There are many free resources on the site including a 30 page .pdf that you can download. It is called 8 Steps to Better Poems and is filled with a plethora of ideas and information to guide you to writing better poems. The document is broken into 3 segments: Poetry Techniques, Mastering Drafting and Your Next Steps. You can’t go wrong since the document is free! I suggest that you check it out and recommend that your colleagues and students do the same. You can also sign up for his newsletter which is filled with inspiring ideas.
LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?
“Poetry Parlor took me on a positive journey from using an existing poem as an idea to developing the first draft of my poem. The chosen poem and the discussions were inspirational in my own poetry writing.
Then, there were excellent tips on editing that helped to produce a published poem.”
— Sue B.
Brian is a teacher who is providing the motivation and guidance on an individual basis as well as providing time with others who write poetry. You can become a member of the parlor and benefit from following:
Getting authentic feedback and support from Brian and others
Learning techniques
Reading great poetry
Writing every month
Meeting other poets
Poetry Parlor can work for you if…
You have written poetry before, maybe for years, and you would like to broaden your knowledge and skills
You would like to learn more about the techniques and forms of poetry
You are looking for regular inspiration to help you create poems
You want to get feedback on your poems to help you improve
You want to know more about poetry being published now
You’re just starting poetry and would like some structure and guidance to help you
You’d like to get to know other poets in similar positions to yourself, for support, friendship, and encouragement.
ABOUT BRIAN
I was Poet Laureate of Hampshire in the UK (where I used to live) in 2012‑13, and in America I won the Maureen Egen Award from Poets & Writers in 2017. I’ve had poems published in magazines, competitions, and art events on both sides of the Atlantic. And I’ve taught at three colleges/universities, visited dozens of schools as a visiting Teaching Artist, and worked with hundreds of adult students through my own workshops and courses.
Brian coached the Maine State Poetry Out Loud (POL) champion Joao Victor before he traveled to the national competition where he finished in the top 10. Brian served as a judge for POL during 206-2018. POL is open to all Maine high school students and administered by the Maine Arts Commission (MAC). Brian is a member of the MAC Teaching Artist roster and a Teaching Artist Leader with the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI) established in 2011.
The Poetry Out Loud (POL) Maine State Finals he state finals took place at the Waterville Opera House on March 2. The following ten high school students proudly took their places after excelling at the classroom, school and regional level. If you click on their names you can hear parts of an interview and the student reciting.
Northern Maine Regional Champions
Hannah Nilsson, Grade 12, John Bapst Memorial High School
Ella Shaffer, grade 10, Rangeley Lakes Regional School photo by Kate Philbrick, Sun Journal
At the time the students, their families and schools understood that one student would be selected to represent Maine at the POL National Finals. Each student was prepared to recite three poems. At the end of round two five state finalists were selected to recite their third poem from which one is the runner-up and one is the state champ. Grade 10 student from Rangeley Lakes Regional School Ella Shaffer was named the 2020 State Champ and Maine’s representative to travel to Washington, D.C. at the end of April. Ella did an amazing job reciting “Sestina: Like” by A.E. Stallings, “I Eat Breakfast to Begin the Day” by Zubair Ahmed, “No, I wasn’t meant to love and be loved” by Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib.
Traditionally a school bus from Rangeley travels to the POL state finals with a group of students and their teachers to support their school representative and also participate as audience members. English teacher Tim Straub has been a huge supporter of his students and the program. Along with Sonja Johnson, art teacher who is amazing! Everyone can benefit from the experience. This year was no exception but it was the first time Rangeley traveled home with the POL State Champ. Those of us who live in a small town in Maine know how exciting this news was for the residents in Rangeley and you can see in the video (below) what that looked like to Ella’s dad on the night of March 3 returning to town. (Get out your tissues).
Sadly the Corona virus (COVID-19) has robbed Ella and her school community the opportunity to travel to D.C. at the end of April for the national event. Even though the national event has been canceled it doesn’t remove the pride that this community has for Ella! I’m sure her three poems will be with her everywhere she travels during her lifetime.
If your high school doesn’t participate in the Poetry Out Loud program you can learn more at the National Poetry Out Loud website. Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high school students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Poetry Out Loud is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation and administered at the state level by the Maine Arts Commission.
Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high school students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Poetry Out Loud is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation.
How it Works
Victor on the national stage reciting
Once you register with us, involvement in Poetry Out Loud starts at the classroom level. We’ll provide educational materials and resources to help get you and your students started. Winners advance to a school-wide competition, then to regional and state competitions, and ultimately to the National Finals. Awards and placements are determined solely by the judges’ scores based on the Poetry Out Loud Evaluation Criteria.
Poetry Out Loud Awards
Each winner at the state level receives $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip with an adult chaperone to Washington, DC to compete for the national championship. The state winner’s school receives $500 for the purchase of poetry materials. The first runner-up in each state receives $100, with $200 for their school. At the national finals, a total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends is awarded annually.
Please visit the national Poetry Out Loud site to explore and learn more about this great program.
Key Dates
September 10, 2019 Registration Opens
December 1, 2019 Registration Deadline
February 3, 2020 Northern Maine Regional Finals (snow date February 4)
February 10, 2020 Southern Maine Regional Finals (snow date February 11)
March 2, 2020 Maine State Finals — Waterville, ME (snow date, March 3)
April 28-29, 2020 National Finals – Washington, DC
For more information about Poetry Out Loud, please contact Brita Wanger-Morier, Performing Arts & Media Director at the Maine Arts Commission, at 207.287.2750 or by email Brita Wanger-Morier.
Joao Victor reciting at the National Poetry Out Loud finals in Washington D.C.
The City Council in Lewiston has created a new position – “Youth Poet Laureate” of the city and presented it to the state’s 2019 Poetry Out Loud Champion.
And, the purpose you might wonder? To encourage youth involvement in the arts. If you ask me – that is PRETTY WONDERFUL! Congratulations Victor!
Read the ENTIRE ARTICLE in the Sun Journal, written by Andrew Rice.
State Poetry Out Loud champions from across the country converged at the Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University in Washington, DC yesterday. During three different blocks of time students representing each state recited poetry as part of the semifinals.
Joao Victor represented Maine and was scheduled during the first time slot, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. He recited two poems along with 17 other students. Students at Lewiston High School watched from their classrooms along with students, teachers, and community members from across the state. Everyone was excited when Victor’s name was called as one of 8 students to move to the next round, reciting a third poem.
At the end of round three 8 students held their breath as three finalists were named. Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts will move on to the national finals tonight, Wednesday along with 6 other students, representing the other two regions of the country. Yes, that means that out of thousands of students Joao Victor of Maine will be one of 9 students.
Again each will recite two poems, finalists will be selected to recite their third poem and a student will be named the National Poetry Out Loud Champion. The webcast live will take place at Lisner Auditorium, tonight at 7:00 p.m at THIS LINK.
Brian Evans-Jones, poet from South Berwick, has been coaching Victor since he was named Maine’s champion. The Maine Arts Commission is grateful for Brian’s commitment to the Poetry Out Loud program. Jim Siragusa, Victor’s English teacher has been working with him since the fall preparing him for the program. Jim is retiring this year after 38 years. Congratulations Jim and best of luck to Victor. You’ve made Maine proud already!
Receiving his plaque at the end of the second round of recitations.
Victor learning he was one of three to move on to the national finals.
On Victor’s left is Rose E. Hansen, Norwell High School, Massachusetts and his right is Escaja-Heiss, South Burlington High School, Vermont
Victor and his English teacher Mr. Siragusa at the State House last month after reciting for the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee
Argy Nestor
Arts Educator, Blogger, Artist, Connector meartsed@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/view/anestor/
Argy’s Blog
The purpose of this blog is to share stories about people and places; and to celebrate the amazing work (and play) that students, educators, and organizations are doing in and for arts education. In addition, the blog has a plethora of resources and innovative ideas. This forum gives blog readers the opportunity to learn from each other. It is essential that we listen, learn, and collaborate in order to build on teaching practices for the benefit of every learner in Maine and beyond.
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