Twelve students to compete to advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC

Wilmington, Del. (February 27, 2024) – Delaware’s Poetry Out Loud State Finals returns to the Smyrna Opera House on Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 6:00pm. Twelve student finalists will compete for the opportunity to represent Delaware and advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC from April 30-May 3, 2024, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed. The event is FREE to the public and seating is limited.

At their school, students selected and recited works from an anthology of more than 1,200 poems. Their teachers or facilitators ran their school’s local Poetry Out Loud competition that then selected a winner to be moved on to the state finals.

 “Congratulations to the twelve talented and creative high school students who have been selected as finalists in the 2024 Delaware Poetry Out Loud competition,” says Division Director Jessica Ball. “Your hard work and passion for the arts is truly inspiring. The arts play a critical role in creating well-rounded individuals, fostering imagination, creativity and critical thinking skills that are essential to success in all aspects of life. Keep up the great work and we can’t wait to see where your passion for the arts takes you in the future.”

The twelve finalists are:

2024 Delaware State Semi-Finalists

Jono McGarvey, Delaware Valley Classical School

Grace Sullivan, MOT Charter High School

Olivia Stevens, Mount Sophia Academy 

Maiss Hussein, Paul M. Hodgson Vocational Technical High School

Hunter Brown, Red Lion Christian Academy

Abigail Ehemann, Saint Mark’s High School

Perrin Brown, Sanford School

Joelle Caternor, Smyrna High School

Harrison Dabbs, Sussex Academy of Arts & Sciences

Nife Anawo, Sussex Central High School

Caliana Velasquez, Sussex Technical High School

Jamie Feldman, Wilmington Friends School

Those wishing to watch the event from the comfort of their own home can do so via the link below.

Poetry Out Loud—presented in partnership with the Delaware Division of the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and Poetry Foundation—is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.1 million students across the country have participated in Poetry Out Loud.

At their school, students recite works selected from an anthology of more than 1,200 poems. Judges will evaluate student performances on criteria including voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, and accuracy. The National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation have created free, standards-based curriculum materials to support Poetry Out Loud including a teacher’s guide, lesson plans, an online anthology, posters, and video and audio on the art of recitation. These resources are available for free at PoetryOutLoud.org.

The Delaware state champion will receive $200 and will advance to the national finals next spring where $50,000 in awards and school/organizational stipends will be distributed. The representing school or organization of the state champion will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry materials. The first runner-up in each state will receive $100, with $200 for their school or organization. The Poetry Foundation provides and administers all aspects of the monetary prizes awarded and travel arrangements for the Poetry Out Loud National Finals.

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Contact: Andrew Truscott, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications

302-577-8280, andrew.truscott@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.

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