The Arts Council to Receive $100,000 NEA Grant. Read more here.
Poetry Out Loud is a competition that encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage. After successful pilot programs in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, POL was launched in high schools nationwide in the spring of 2006 with tens of thousands of students participating. POL has grown every year with over 365,000 students competing.
Students competing in the 2020-21 District 3/4 POL program were eligible to compete in the national/anthology portion of the program, the original poetry portion, a new original category focusing on the social challenges of 2020, or all three. The competition was held virtually this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with students submitting videos of their recitations. The winners listed below in all three categories will compete in the state-wide competition, which will also be held virtually. Winners in the state level national/anthology portion will then have the opportunity to compete at the national level for a final round.
The Alabama State Council on the Arts sponsored the original poetry and social challenge competitions, and administrates Poetry Out Loud at the state level. Sponsors include the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation and The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa. Shannon McCue, Arts Council Education Director, served as Facilitator in Districts 3/4.
Sponsors include the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, Alabama State Council on the Arts and The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa.
1st Place: Myra Grizzard, Alabama School of Fine Arts
2nd Place: Catherine Edwards, Indian Springs School
3rd Place: Taylor Jackson, Alabama School of Fine Arts
1st Place: Madison Forman, Indian Springs School
2nd Place:Isabelle Terrell, Red Mountain Theatre Company/Pinson Valley High School
3rd Place: Victoria Kindall, Indian Springs School
4th Place: Ka'Lise Benson, Alabama School of Fine Arts
5th Place: Melany Morgan, Alabama School of Fine Arts
1st Place: Lily Geisen, Indian Springs School
2nd Place: Julius Shanks, Alabama School of Fine Arts
3rd Place: Victoria Kindall, Indian Springs School
4th Place: Ka'Lise Benson, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Judges for the day were Jada Dumas - Social Media Coordinator, The Flourish Alabama; Dr. Richard J. Wallace - New College Instructor and Athletic Tutor, University of Alabama; and Janavian Young - Documentarian, The Flourish Alabama. Shannon McCue served as Accuracy Judge.
