North Dakota Council on the Arts Announces the Winners of the 2014 Poetry Out Loud State Finals The North Dakota Council on the Arts is pleased to announce Julia Johnson of Shanley High School as the 2014 State Champion and first place winner of the North Dakota State Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. Lindsey Bertsch of Minot High School received second place honors. Placing third was Marcie Woehl of Mandan High School. Julia Johnson will advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC on April 27-29, 2014, 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. This year’s ND Poetry Out Loud State Finals competition took place on Monday, March 3, at the State Capitol in Bismarck, ND. Provided in partnership with The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Poetry Foundation, and North Dakota Council on the Arts, 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 competition, and ultimately to the National Finals in Washington, DC. At the school, state, and national competitions, contestants recite works selected from an anthology of more than 400 classic and contemporary poems. The NEA and Poetry Foundation provide support materials for classroom instruction, including 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. Emcee Debra Marquart and Poetry Out Loud Coordinator Rebecca Engelman, presented the awards to the participants. All participating contestants received a $20 book store gift card and a certificate of participation. Each lead teacher received a book of poetry for their classroom. First place winner, Julia Johnson received a trophy, medallion, $200, plus an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC. Her school also received a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books and the honor of displaying the POL Traveling Trophy. Second place winner, Lindsey Bertsch received a trophy, medallion, $100, plus $200 for her school library. Third place winner, Marcie Woehl received a trophy, medallion, and an additional $50 gift card. The North Dakota state competition judges included: Janelle Masters, Dean of Academic Affairs, Bismarck State College; Nita K. Ritzke, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Humanities, University of Mary; Bill Thomas, Director of Radio, Prairie Public; Donna Stack, Former Associate Professor of Communications, University of Mary; and the accuracy judge was Jan Webb, Executive Director, North Dakota Council on the Arts. Debra Marquart, author/songwriter and Professor of English at Iowa State University was the event Emcee. Debra entertained the audience with a selection of her poems and songs. Live entertainment during the semi-finals was provided by Patrick Sagsveen of Bismarck. For further information on Poetry Out Loud, visit poetryoutloud.org, or contact Rebecca Engelman at (701) 328-7593 or via email at [email protected]. About the Poetry Foundation The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, has embarked on an ambitious plan to bring the best poetry before the largest possible audience. In the coming year, the Foundation will launch a major new poetry website and sponsor an unprecedented study to understand poetry’s place in American culture. Founded in Chicago by Harriet Monroe in 1912, Poetry is the oldest monthly devoted to verse in the English-speaking world. Harriet Monroe’s “Open Door” policy, set forth in Volume I of the magazine, remains the most succinct statement of Poetry’s mission: to print the best poetry written today, in whatever style, genre, or approach. About the National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts – both new and established – bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Endowment is the nation’s largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 20:02:00 +0000