FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Arts Council has selected twenty high schools to participate in the state competition for the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. This is the second year of the program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance and competition.
Each school chosen will explore poems from supplied materials and have Kentucky Arts Council approved artists working with them for two days, to give teachers and students tools, with which to open up their approach to poetry. Participating teachers will conduct classroom recitation competitions; followed by a school-wide competition. The winner from each school will participate in the state Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest in Frankfort on March 13, 2007. The state winner will receive $200 and an all expenses paid trip to Washington, DC to compete in the April 30-May 1, 2007 National Finals. In addition, his or her school will receive a $500 stipend to purchase poetry books.
The 2006 Kentucky winner, Kendra Holloway, from Christian County High School, went on to become a national finalist.
For additional information about the Kentucky Poetry Out Loud competition, contact John S. Benjamin, Arts Education Director, Kentucky Arts Council at John.Benjamin@ky.gov.
For a general overview of the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest, go to: www.poetryoutloud.org. -###-
NOTE TO EDITORS: The following is a list of schools and teacher contact information selected to participate in the Kentucky Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest.
Monticello Independent School
Monticello, KY
Jennifer Chaplin
606-348-5312
jchaplin@Wayne.k12.ky.us
Montgomery County High School
Mt. Sterling, KY
Kim Barnes
859-497-8765
KBarnes@Montgomery.k12.ky.us
Trimble County High School
Bedford, KY
Karen Long
502-255-7781
KLONG@Trimble.k12.ky.us
Simon Kenton High School
Independence, KY
Laura Schneider
859-363-4100
lschneid@KENTON.k12.ky.us
Harvest Christian Academy
South Portsmouth, KY
Carla M. Day
606-932-3007
240hca@adelphia.net
Hart County High School
Munfordville, KY
Carla M. Day
270-524-9341
dday@HART.k12.ky.us
Deming High School
Mt. Olivet, KY
Regina Beach
606-724-5421
rbeach@Robertson.k12.ky.us
Ohio County High School
Hartford, KY
Richard V. Autry
270-274-3366
todd.autry@ohio.kyschools.us
Bethlehem High School
Bardstown, KY 40004
David E. Goodlett
502-348-8594
dgoodlett@bethlehemhigh.org
Beechwood High School
Ft. Mitchell, KY
Ruth Johnson
859-331-1220
rjohnson@beechwood.k12.ky.us
Collegiate High School
Owensboro, KY
Susan Free
270-686-4583
susand.free@kctcs.edu
Westport TAPP
Louisville, KY
Peace Ifeacho
502-485-8334
pifeac23@jefferson.k12.ky.us
Shawnee High MCA
Louisville, KY
Tanisha D. Bibb
502-485-8326
tbibb1@jefferson.k12.ky.us
Glasgow High School
Glasgow, KY
Mary Fye
270-651-8801
MFYE@Glasgow.k12.ky.us
Powell County High School
Stanton, KY
Londa Tester
606-663-3320
LTester@Powell.k12.ky.us
Western Hills High School
Frankfort, KY
Lauren Hill
502-875-8400
lhill@franklin.k12.ky.us
Fairdale High School
Fairdale, KY
George Darren Bush
502-485-8248
gbush1@jefferson.k12.ky.us
West Carter High School
Olive Hill, KY
Debra Salyers
606-286-2481
DSalyers@Carter.k12.ky.us
Opportunities Unlimited Alternative
Martin, KY
Debbie Kidd, Karen Wilson
606-285-3634
DKidd@Floyd.k12.ky.us
kwilson@Floyd.k12.ky.us
Carroll County High School
Carrollton, KY
Michael Gaudet
502-732-7075
michael.gaudet@carroll.kyschools.us
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The Kentucky Arts Council is a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet. Working in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Arts Council invests in programs that develop vibrant communities, provide lifelong education in the arts and support arts participation. Every $1 in grant funds awarded by the Kentucky Arts Council helps grantees secure $15 in earned income and matching funds from individuals, philanthropic sources and other levels of government.