Presented by:
The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, in partnership with the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Huntington Theatre Company.
Poetry Out Loud brings the oral art form to high schools in all 50 states.
Attend the Massachusetts State Finals this Sunday, March 8 at the Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington St., Boston.
Hear some wonderfully talented students recite some of the great poets' work. Poet Charles Coe will also recite some of his poetry, and performing artist, writer,and filmmaker Mwalim wil serve as host.
Program for Sunday, March 8
There will be eighteen students at the finals, chosen from thirty-three students competing in the semi-finals on Saturday. The Huntington is also hosting the semi-finals in Framingham (Framingham Civic League) and Worcester (Clark University).
From the eighteen students, six will be chosen to do a third poem and three will be chosen for first, second, and third place. The winner will attend the Nationals in Washington, D.C. in April, along with members of the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Lynne Johnson, the Huntington's Associate Director of Education. Prizes and awards will be given in all rounds.
How the competition works:
- Each class holds a classroom contest where students recite one poem.
- One student from each class advances to the school-wide competition, where each student recites two poems.
- The school-wide winner is invited to the semi-finals, to be held on March 8, 2008 in Worcester and Framingham. Students will recite two poems at this round of the competition.
- Six students from the Worcester semi-finals and twelve students from the Framingham semi-finals will move on to the state competition on March 9, 2008 in the Old South Meeting House in Boston. Students will recite three poems at this round of the competition.
- The winner of the Massachusetts state finals head to Washington, D.C. for the national competition on April 27-29, 2008.
- Cash prizes are awarded to both winners and their schools.
For more information please contact Donna Glick, Director of Education, at 617 273-1548 or email poetryoutloud@huntingtontheatre.bu.edu.
Poetry Out Loud
National Recitation Contest
Finals – Boston
Old South Meeting House
310 Washington St.,
Boston, MA 02108
8:30 Students/Judges/Audience Arrives
9:00 Audience
Arrives
9:30 Host Mwalmi introduces self and Donna Glick, Director of Education. Welcome and
Introduction of Staff, Judges, Host and Guests.
9:40 Introduction to contest – brief explanation of how
it's run
9:45 Performance
by Vinh Huah – POL 2006 State Finalist
10:00 Performance
from Host Mwalmi Mwalmi ~ Introduces First
Student
10:10 Recitation
of Poem # 1 ~ EIGHTEEN participants
TEN MINUTE BREAK
11:10 - 12:10 Recitation
of Poem # 2 ~ EIGHTEEN participants
12:10 Lunch
Break
1:10 - 1:20 Announcement
of SIX Finalists
1:20 - 1:40 Recitation of Poem # 3 from SIX Finalists
1:40 Scores
Tabulated by Staff, Performance
by Guest Poet Charles Coe
1:55 Announcement
of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place winners
Awards Presentation by Naheem Garcia
2:15 Photos
and Departure