“Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful.”
~ Rita Dove
Wednesday, December 9th, students participated in the Ninth Annual MVSD Poetry Out Loud competition, Pandemic Edition.
Instead of an event held at The Merc, students came on down to “Studio A” on Glover Street where Methow Arts filmed the student recitations. After judges have their say, we will release the final performance via YouTube on Wednesday, December 16 at 6 p.m.
For the past eight years, the Methow Valley has sponsored a robust Poetry Out Loud competition through a collaboration between Methow Arts, the Public School Funding Alliance, and the Methow Valley School District. Poetry Out Loud (POL) is a national memorization and recitation contest that helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Each December, local high school students compete for slots at local, regional, and state POL competitions.
Created in 2006 by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud gives students an opportunity to select poems from the anthology of allowed poems, provide them with structure for memorization, and practice their performance skills such as projection, pacing, emphasis, and movement. If funding allows, poetry coaches tutor students throughout the duration of the process.
Beginning with Tom Zbyszewski in 2013, Liberty Bell and ILC, several students have successfully competed at the regional and state event.
The winner of the local competition will advance to the Eastern Washington Regional Poetry Out Loud contest in Spokane, and have a chance to make it to the state championship. The Washington state champion will advance to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, D.C.
Please join us as we thank Methow Arts, Public School Funding Alliance, LBHS Teacher Kelly Grayum and the citizens of the Methow Valley. Your generous support, coupled with the successful passage of our local school levies ensures all students are able to access a broad range of enriching activities!