News

Getting Ready for POL 2016

From Dani Brown, Arts Education Special Projects Coordinator — 

POL2016_color_horizontalIt is time to get ready for another year of giving students the opportunity to master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and develop a love for the written word — beyond the classroom. It is time for another fantastic year of Poetry Out Loud.

Poetry Out loud (POL) is a national recitation competition organized by the Tennessee Arts Commission in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, and is open to all public, private and home-schooled students in grades 9-12.

POL seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers by capitalizing on the latest trends in poetry, recitation and performance. The program builds on the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as seen in the slam poetry movement and the immense popularity of rap music among youth. POL invites the dynamic aspects of written and spoken word  into the English classroom and onto the stage.

Starting in individual classrooms and schools, the competition then moves to a state level before one champion student from each state goes to compete in the national finals held in Washington, D.C. with cash prizes awarded to winning students and teachers.

Would you like to bring POL to your school?

TN schools must be signed up to participate by January 22, 2016. Students who will be competing to the statewide contest must be registered by February 16, 2016.

Click here to register your school, learn more about the competition and take advantage of the teacher resources available. 

For questions, contact me, Dani Brown by email or at 615.532.5934.