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North Dakota Poetry Out Loud State Finals Winners Announced! The North Dakota Council on the Arts is pleased to announce that the first place winner of the North Dakota State Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest is Devany Schulz of Shanley High School in Fargo, ND. The second place winner is Beatrice Hill of West Fargo High School in Fargo, ND. Third place was awarded to Kathryn Dorfschmidt of Century High School in Bismarck, ND. Rachel Geinert of Edgeley Public School, and Stephanie Dutenhafer of Newburg United, also placed in the top five. The competition was presented in partnership with The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation. The state finals competition took place on Tuesday, February 26, at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck, ND. Devany Schulz will advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC on April 27-29, 2008, where a total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends, with at least a $20,000 college scholarship for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion, will be awarded. Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the mastery of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic competition to high schools across the country. Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to the school-wide competition, then to the state capital competition, and ultimately to the National Finals in Washington, DC. At the state competition, Devany recited the poems The Luggage, Mrs. Caldera’s House of Things and Dover Beach. Beatrice Hill recited the poems Still I Rise, It was not death, for I stood up, and Domestic Violence. Kathryn recited the poems Unknown Girl in the Maternity Ward, Annabel Lee, and First Poem for You. Rachel recited The Spider and the Fly, Flood: Years of Solitude and Casey at the Bat; and Stephanie recited Fever 103°, To the Ladies and Lunar Baedeker. All the contestants recited works they selected from an anthology of more than 400 classic and contemporary poems. The NEA and Poetry Foundation created a standards-based teacher’s guide, a comprehensive website, and a CD featuring poetry recitations by well-known actors and writers such as Anthony Hopkins, Alyssa Milano, N. Scott Momaday, and Rita Dove. State Poet Laureate, Larry Woiwode, presented the awards to the participants. As first place winner, Devany received a plaque, certificate, engraved bookmark, $200 plus an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC, and her school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. As second place winner, Beatrice Hill received a certificate, an engraved bookmark, $100, plus $200 for her school library. As third place winner, Kathryn Dorfschmidt received a certificate, an engraved bookmark and a $50 gift certificate. All participating contestants and teachers received a Poetry Out Loud T-shirt. During the lunch break a Coffee House and Open Mic were available to the public. Students from participating schools, visiting students, adults, and teachers alike took part in the activities. The North Dakota state competition judges included: Shadd Piehl, Associate Poet Laureate; Bill Thomas, Director of Radio, Prairie Public; Cheryl Kulas, Executive Director, North Dakota Indian Affairs; and Jan Webb, Executive Director, North Dakota Council on the Arts. Larry Woiwode was the event Emcee, and live entertainment through the event was provided by Trio Apollo of Bismarck, and the Rolla High School Concert Choir under the direction of Sheila Zinke. ---------------------------------------------------------- North Dakota Poetry Out Loud State Finals Tuesday, February 26, 2008 This competition, presented in partnership with The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. Schools across the state have been participating in school competitions to advance a finalist to the state finals. The North Dakota State Finals will be held at the ND Heritage Center in Bismarck on February 26, 2008. Master of ceremonies will be Larry Woiwode, State Poet Laureate. Judges include Bill Thomas, Director of Radio with Prairie Public Broadcasting; Cheryl Kulas, Executive Director of ND Indian Affairs Commission; Shadd Piehl, Associate State Poet Laureate; and the Accuracy judge is Jan Webb, Executive Director for NDCA. Attendance at the state finals is free and open to the public. Live music will be provided by Trio Apollo and Rolla High School Concert Choir. State finals schedule is as follows Events will take place in the Heritage Center auditorium, lobby and mezzanine. Following the state finals, the winner will advance to the National Finals held in Washington, DC, on April 27-29, 2008, where $50,000 dollars in scholarships and school prizes will be awarded. Contact Linda Ehreth at (701) 328-7593 or via email at lehreth@nd.gov for more information. ----------------------------------------------------------
Opportunity
for North Dakota High Schools to Participate in On behalf of the North Dakota Council of the Arts (NDCA), we invite high school teachers to participate in Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest - an exciting program which encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the nation’s largest annual funder of the arts, and the Poetry Foundation, the nation’s largest literary organization, have partnered with state agencies to bring Poetry Out Loud to high schools across America. The North Dakota Council on the Arts has received $15,000 from the NEA to coordinate this program in North Dakota. Poetry Out Loud builds on the recent resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as demonstrated by the slam poetry movement and the immense popularity of rap music among our youth. The program encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance, which help students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and internalize our rich literary heritage. Poetry Out Loud curriculum materials include: print and online poetry anthologies; a teacher’s guide to help instructors teach recitation and performance; an audio CD featuring distinguished actors and writers; promotional and media guides; and a comprehensive website. Hard copies of all materials are free for schools participating in the official program. All curriculum materials are also available for download on the Poetry Out Loud website (www.poetryoutloud.org). Schools not officially involved in the program are welcome to use the online materials. A special feature this year is an opportunity for classroom teachers participating in the program to schedule time for a North Dakota poet laureate to come to your classroom and work with your students. There will be no fee for the session with the poet and it is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Poetry Out Loud materials will be mailed in September to teachers who register for the program. The program requires only two or three weeks of class time; therefore, schools can run their program during the fall and early winter. The North Dakota State Finals will be held at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck on February 26, 2008. Following the state finals, the National Finals will be held in Washington, DC, April 27-29, 2008. Educators interested in registering for the official program, receiving the free curriculum materials, or interested in having a North Dakota poet laureate work with your class can contact the North Dakota Council on the Arts at 701-328-7593; or via Email at lehreth@nd.gov; or at:
Linda Ehreth, Arts
Education Director, North Dakota Council on the Arts -------------------------------------------
What is
Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest?
Who
participates in Poetry Out Loud?
What
resources are available to help you with Poetry Out Loud? A special feature this year is an opportunity for classroom teachers participating in the program to schedule time for a ND poet laureate to come to your classroom. There is no fee for the session, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
How can I
get involved? -------------------------------------------
2007
Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest North Dakota Council on the Arts announces the winners of the 2007 state finals for Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. The First Place winner is Michael Sly of Shanley High School in Fargo; Second Place winner was Ashley Boyko of Dakota Adventist Academy in Bismarck; and the Third Place winner was Natael Falk of Lisbon High School in Lisbon. Congratulations to the 2007 winners! The competition, presented in partnership with The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. On Wednesday, March 14, 2007, eight high school students from around the state participated in the Poetry Out Loud State Finals at the Belle Mehus Auditorium in downtown Bismarck. As the winner of this competition, Michael Sly will advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC on May 1, 2007, where $50,000 dollars in scholarships and school prizes will be awarded. Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to the school-wide competition, then to the state competition, and ultimately to the National Finals in Washington, DC. A total of 507 North Dakota students participated in Poetry Out Loud at the classroom level, with a total of eight students advancing to the state competition. Michael Sly, first place winner, was accompanied by his teacher Brian Geffre to the state competition where he recited the poems “Booker T. and W.E.B.,” “The Cremation of Sam McGee,” and “In the Basement of the Good Will Store.” Ashley Boyko, second place winner, was accompanied by her teacher Gary Way, she recited the poems “Jabberwocky,” “The Owl and the Pussy Cat,” and “Song of the Powers.” All the contestants recited works they selected from an anthology of more than 400 classic and contemporary poems. The NEA and Poetry Foundation created a standards-based teacher’s guide, a comprehensive website, and a CD featuring poetry recitations by well-known actors and writers such as Anthony Hopkins, Alyssa Milano, N. Scott Momaday, and Rita Dove. As first place winner, Michael received a trophy, medallion, $200, plus an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC. His school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. Michael, who is in the 12th grade, competed against 275 other students who participated in the Poetry Out Loud contest at Shanley High School. As second place winner, Ashley received a trophy, medallion, $100, and $200 for her school library. Ashley, who is in the 10th grade, competed against 42 other students who participated in the Poetry Out Loud contest at Dakota Adventist Academy. All eight participants received a poetry book, certificate and engraved bookmark; their teachers also received a poetry book and bookmark, along with a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble. John Ostrout, Director of State & Regional Partnerships for the National Endowment for the Arts, was in attendance and spoke about the Poetry Out Loud national initiative. Live entertainment was provided by the Hettinger Concert Choir of Hettinger, ND; the Century Jazz Band of Bismarck, ND; a recitation was performed by Larry Woiwode, State Poet Laureate; and musical interludes throughout the semi-finals rounds were performed by Trio Apollo, a Bismarck-based woodwind trio. The North Dakota state competition judges included: Larry Woiwode, State Poet Laureate; Shadd Piehl, Associate Poet Laureate; Chuck Suchy, Associate Poet Laureate; and Jan Webb, Executive Director of the North Dakota Council on the Arts, who was the Accuracy Judge.
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