For Immediate Release
October 14, 2011

Contact: Chris Cate
Secretary of State's Office
(850) 245.6522

Secretary Browning Invites Students to Participate in Poetry Out Loud

2012 state finals to be held in Tallahassee in March

Tallahassee, FLORIDA –  

TALLAHASSEE – Secretary of State Kurt Browning is encouraging high school students to participate in the 2011-12 Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest. The contest, organized by the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, teaches high school students about poetry through memorization, performance and competition.

“Poetry Out Loud enables high school students to connect with poetry in a way that lasts a lifetime,” said Secretary Browning. “We are pleased to play a role in providing Florida’s students learning and enrichment opportunities through poetry.”

High schools throughout Florida can now register to participate in classroom and school-wide contests culminating in a state finals competition on March 10, 2012 in Tallahassee. State champions from all 50 states will advance to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals taking place May 14-15, 2012, in Washington, DC.

How to get involved in Poetry Out Loud

High school teachers who are interested in participating in the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest should know that the program takes one to three weeks of classroom time and may be incorporated with existing poetry units. High schools that wish to be part of the official Poetry Out Loud program must contact Ken Crawford at the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs at ken.crawford@dos.myflorida.com or by phone at 850.245.6395 to participate.

Poetry Out Loud Awards

Students who participate in the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest may be eligible to compete in the state and national finals in 2012. Each state champion will receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete for the national championship. The state champion’s school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. The first runner-up in each state will receive $100, with $200 for his or her school library. Poetry Out Loud will award a total of $50,000 in cash and school stipends at the national finals, including a $20,000 award for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion. For further information on Poetry Out Loud, visit www.poetryoutloud.org.

About the Division of Cultural Affairs

The Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs is Florida’s legislatively designated state arts agency. The division promotes the arts and culture as essential to quality of life for all Floridians. To achieve its mission, the division funds and supports cultural programs that provide artistic excellence, diversity, education, access and economic vitality for Florida’s communities. To learn more about the division and its programs, visit www.florida-arts.org.