TN Poetry Out Loud Virtual State Finals is March 12

Posted Mar 2, 2021 | Posted in: Arts Education, Arts Education News

From Michelle Sipes, Arts Learning Specialist –

The 2021 TN POL State Finals will be broadcast live on Friday March 12, 2021 from 6:00 -8:00 p.m. CST. The State Finals is emceed by nationally renowned, multi-genre writer and educator, Caroline Randall Williams, and includes dynamic performances by Nashville musician, Carly Moffa; ASL Interpretation from Kiley Scott and Sign A Song the State Finalist Poetry Recitation Showcase; and will conclude with the Awards Ceremony and the announcement of this year’s TN State Champion.

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education and scholarship program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a recitation competition for high school students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Poetry Out Loud is a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and the Tennessee Arts Commission.

Students select, memorize, and and recite poems from an anthology of more than 1,100 classic and contemporary poems and compete on the school level. Each school champion competes in the TN State Finals hosted by the TN Arts Commission, where the winner will receive $1,000 and will represent Tennessee at the National Poetry Out Loud Finals.

The National Finals event will take place virtually and will be streamed on the Commission’s Facebook page and Youtube channel (links to come), and will be streamed via www.arts.gov. National Prizes are as follows: The student named TN champion will compete in the national finals, held virtually in May 2021, where a total of $50,000 in awards and school/organization stipends, including a $20,000 award for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion, will be presented.

Dates for the National semifinals and finals are:

May 2, 2021 – 2021 POL National Semifinals
May 27, 2021 – 2021 POL National Finals

Meet the 2021 Finalists. Learn more about Poetry Out Loud.