THE DELAWARE DIVISION OF THE ARTS TO HOST
ANNUAL POETRY OUT LOUD STATE FINAL COMPETITION
Twelve students to compete to advance to the National Finals in DC
Dover, Del. (February 14, 2018) – From a competitive field of 20 Delaware high school students, 12 remain to compete at the statewide recitation competition that will be held at a new location this year, Dover High School on Tuesday, February 27 at 7 p.m.
The finalists will compete for the opportunity to represent Delaware and advance to the National Finals in Washington from April 24-25, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed.
2018 Delaware State Finalists
| Chelsea Anokye-Agyei | Hodgson Vo-Tech High School |
| Matthew Byer | Wilmington Friends School |
| Avery Chambers | Caravel Academy |
| Julian Clark | Middletown High School |
| Andrew Dingwall | Wilmington Christian School |
| Whitney Grinnage-Cassidy | Ursuline Academy |
| Melina Hudson | Milford Senior High School |
| Tyler Keeler | Laurel High School |
| Giovani Malcolm | Concord High School |
| Richard Matthews | Dover High School |
| Samuel McGarvey | Tall Oaks Classical School |
| Dounya Ramadan | Newark Charter Jr./Sr. High School |
The competition encourages high school students to learn about poetry through memorization, performance and competition. Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest is sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Visit arts.gov to learn more about NEA.
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Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov
The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is dedicated to cultivating and supporting the arts to enhance the quality of life for all Delawareans. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.
Banner image: 2016 Delaware Poetry Out Loud State Finalist, Hannah Sturgis. Photo by: Kathleen Buckalew