Chelsea Anokye-Agyei to Represent Delaware in 2019 Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington

Hodgson Vo-Tech senior to advance to
National Finals in Washington, DC

Smyrna, Del. (February 26, 2019) – From an initial field of 20 Delaware high school students and then twelve state finalists, Chelsea Anokye-Agyei, a senior from Hodgson Vo-Tech High School, earned the title of 2019 Poetry Out Loud Delaware State Champion at the state finals held in Smyrna, Del. on Feb. 26. The first runner-up was Samuel McGarvey from Tall Oaks Classical School and the second runner-up was Sarah Stevenson from Milford Senior High School.

Photo Credit: Joe del Tufo Top Three – First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney, Sarah Stevenson, Chelsea Anokye-Agyei, Samuel McGarvey, Division of the Arts Director Paul Weagraff

Anokye-Agyei’s final recitation, “The Albatross” by Kate Bass, earned her high marks with the judges. The full poem can be found on the Poetry Foundation’s website.

For her winning presentation, Anokye-Agyei will receive $200 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington with a chaperone to compete at the national championship on April 29 – May 1. Hodgson Vo-Tech High School will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials. Samuel McGarvey, the first runner-up will receive $100, and Tall Oaks Classical School will receive $200 for its school library.

The Poetry Out Loud state competition, sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition.

Photo Credit: Joe del Tufo Back row: First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney, Samuel McGarvey, Brandon Greenlee, Ashton Driver, Chelsea Anokye-Agyei, Daniel Patrick Johnson, Nadia Sheikh, Mariela Rivero (behind), Emma Elliott (floral pants) Front row: Catherine Enslen, Megan Chen, Anne Rosenthal, Sarah Stevenson, Division of the Arts Director Paul Weagraff

Reverend John G. Moore, Susan Kehoe, First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney, Dr. Ethan Joella, Dr. Jesse Zuba, Dr. David Teague, Christian Wills, Chet’la Sebree, Heather Morrissey

Learn more


Name School
Landon Hayes Cape Henlopen High School
Jo Griffin Concord High School
Emma Elliott* Dover High School
Chelsea Anokye-Agyei* Hodgson Vo-Tech High School
Amy Garcia-Perez Indian River High School
Tyler Keeler Laurel Senior High School
Sarah Stevenson* Milford Senior High School
Nadia Sheikh* MOT Charter High School
Daniel Patrick Johnson* Mount Sophia Academy
Megan Chen* Newark Charter High School
Ashton Driver* Red Lion Christian Academy
Anne Rosenthal* Sanford School
Alex Dornenburg Seaford Senior High School
Liliana Yenovkian Sussex Academy of the Arts & Sciences
Brandon Greenlee* Sussex Central High School
Charmaine Pasicolan St. Mark’s High School
Samuel McGarvey* Tall Oaks Classical School
Catherine Enslen* Ursuline Academy
Mariela Rivero* Wilmington Christian School
James Tallman Wilmington Friends School

 *2019 Delaware State Finalists

All photos should be credited with – Photo Credit: Joe del Tufo

About the Delaware Division of the Arts
The Delaware Division of the Arts is an agency of the State of Delaware. 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. Funding for Division programs is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278. Image: 2018 Award Winners exhibition at the Biggs Museum. Painting (right) by Thomas del Porte, 2018 Established Professional, Visual Arts: painting

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Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov


Media Alert: 2019 Poetry Out Loud State Finals – Tuesday, Feb. 26

Twelve Delaware high school students to compete for the state title

MEDIA ADVISORY
February 22, 2019

WHAT: Twelve Delaware high school students will participate in the state finals for Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest at Smyrna Opera House. The winner of this competition will represent Delaware and advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC on April 29 – May 1, 2019, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed. This program is sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 26, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. Students start arriving at 5 p.m.

WHERE: Smyrna Opera House, 7 W South Street, Smyrna, DE 19977

WHO: Finalists, Featured Speakers and Judges will be:

 

2019 Delaware State Finalists

Name School
Emma Elliott Dover High School
Chelsea Anokye-Agyei Hodgson Vo-Tech High School
Sarah Stevenson Milford Senior High School
Nadia Sheikh MOT Charter High School
Daniel Patrick Johnson Mount Sophia Academy
Megan Chen Newark Charter High School
Ashton Driver Red Lion Christian Academy
Anne Rosenthal Sanford School
Brandon Greenlee Sussex Central High School
Samuel McGarvey Tall Oaks Classical School
Catherine Enslen Ursuline Academy
Mariela Rivero Wilmington Christian School

Speakers and judges will be:

Speakers:

Paul Weagraff, Director, Delaware Division of the Arts

J. Mack Wathen, Chair, Delaware State Arts Council

Mistress of Ceremonies:

Donna DeKuyper, Singer, Actress and Co-Owner, Hotel Blue, Lewes, DE

Judges:

Dr. Ethan Joella, English and Social Sciences Faculty, University of Delaware, Georgetown, Director, Ethan Joella Communications

Susan Kehoe, Managing Partner, Browseabout Books, Rehoboth Beach, DE

Reverend John G. Moore, Director, Philanthropy and Engagement, United Way of Delaware

Chet’la Sebree, 2019 Individual Artist Fellow – Poetry

Dr. David Teague, Professor of English, Associate in Arts Program, University of Delaware

Dr. Jesse Zuba, Assistant Professor of English, Delaware State University

Christian Wills, Former Poetry Out Loud Contestant will serve as the Prompter

Heather Morrissey, Delaware State Arts Council Member will serve as Accuracy Judge

Entertainment:

JW2, is made up of James Witherite (organ) and Jonathan W. Whitney (drums), who bring their own originals and favorites from the jazz, funk, and old-school R&B genres to life.

OTHER: Attendance at Smyrna Opera House is free and open to the public. The 2019 Poetry Out Loud Media Kit for this event is available on our website. Hi-Res photos will be available the day after the event. Use hashtags: #POL19, #iampoetryoutloud, and #DDOA30. Tag us at: @ArtsDelaware

 

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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 to Host Annual Poetry Out Loud State Competition

Twenty students to compete to advance to
National Finals in Washington, DC

Dover, Del. (January 30, 2019) –The free recitation contest will start with a semi-final competition at Modern Maturity Center, Dover on Tuesday, February 5 at 7 p.m. This year’s semi-finals judges are:

  • Jamie Brunson, Executive Director, First Person Arts, Philadelphia
  • Sherry Gage Chappelle, 2016 Individual Artist Fellow: Poetry
  • Russell Endo, 2011 Individual Artist Fellow: Poetry
  • Maggie Rowe, 2016 Individual Artist Fellow: Poetry
  • James Weiler, English/Language Arts Instructor, Woodbridge High School

Twelve finalists will move on to compete at the state finals to be held at Smyrna Opera House on Tuesday, February 26 at 7 p.m. (snow date: Tuesday, March 5, 2019). The finalists will compete for the opportunity to represent Delaware and advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC from April 29 – May 1, 2019, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed.


2019 Delaware State Semi-Finalists

Name School
Landon Hayes Cape Henlopen High School
Jo Griffin Concord High School
Emma Elliott Dover High School
Chelsea Anokye-Agyei Hodgson Vo-Tech High School
Amy Garcia-Perez Indian River High School
Tyler Keeler Laurel Senior High School
Sarah Stevenson Milford Senior High School
Nadia Sheikh MOT Charter High School
Daniel Johnson Mount Sophia Academy
Megan Chen Newark Charter High School
Ashton Driver Red Lion Christian Academy
Anne Rosenthal Sanford School
Alex Dornenburg Seaford Senior High School
Liliana Yenovkian Sussex Academy of the Arts & Sciences
Brandon Greenlee Sussex Central High School
Charmaine Pasicolan St. Mark’s High School
Samuel McGarvey Tall Oaks Classical School
Catherine Enslen Ursuline Academy
Mariela Rivero Wilmington Christian School
James Tallman Wilmington Friends School

About the Delaware Division of the Arts
The Delaware Division of the Arts is an agency of the State of Delaware. 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. Funding for Division programs is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278. Image: 2018 Award Winners exhibition at the Biggs Museum. Painting (right) by Thomas del Porte, 2018 Established Professional, Visual Arts: painting

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Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov


Samuel McGarvey to Represent Delaware in 2018 Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington

For Immediate Release

 SAMUEL MCGARVEY TO REPRESENT DELAWARE IN
2018 POETRY OUT LOUD NATIONAL FINALS IN WASHINGTON

Dover, Del. (February 28, 2018) – From a competitive field of 12 Delaware high school students, Samuel McGarvey, a sophomore from Tall Oaks Classical School, earned the title of 2018 Poetry Out Loud Delaware State Champion at the state finals held in Dover, Del. on Feb. 27. The first runner-up was Dounya Ramadan from Newark Charter Jr./Sr. High School and the second runner-up was Richard Matthews from Dover High School.

McGarvey’s final recitation, I Remember, I Remember by Thomas Hood, earned him high marks with the judges.

For his winning presentation, McGarvey will receive $200 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington with a chaperone to compete at the national championship on April 23-25. Tall Oaks Classical School will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials. Dounya Ramadan, the first runner-up will receive $100, and Newark Charter Jr./Sr. High School will receive $200 for its school library.

The Poetry Out Loud state competition, sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition.

To learn more about the State Finalists and for hi-res photos from the event, please see our page here. For hi-res photos, please contact Leeann Wallett.

About Poetry Out Loud
The Delaware Division of the Arts sponsors the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest program in Delaware schools and the state finals. Competition begins at the classroom level in the fall and culminates with the state finals each spring. Twenty schools and over 2,000 Delaware students participated in the Poetry Out Loud program in the current academic year. The Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest competition is presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.

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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: Samuel McGarvey


The Delaware Division of the Arts to Host Annual Poetry Out Loud State Final Competition

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