Souhegan Poetry Out Loud Finals Coming Tuesday

Souhegan High School’s school-wide Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest is in full swing.

Eighteen finalists will participate in the Poetry Out Loud School-wide Final on Tuesday, February 19th at 7:00 pm in the Souhegan High School Theater. All are welcome to attend; the event is free and open to the public.

More than 600 Souhegan students in grades 9 – 12 chose, analyzed, memorized and performed from memory a published poem from Poetry Out Loud’s online anthology. Linking the project to their curriculum, English teachers took a variety of approaches. For instance, World Literature students chose poems by non-American poets; 9th graders chose poems based on the themes they are studying in literature; and AP English students chose from a selection of English Romantic poets. 

Both Souhegan’s winner and runner-up in the school-wide Final competition on February 19th win a scholarships to New England College ($20,000), as well as to Southern New Hampshire University (merit-based ranging from $4,000 - $18,000 a year for four years), should they choose to enroll.  

Souhegan’s winner advances to the Regional contest on March 5th at Southern NH University. Four semi-finalists from each region compete in the NH Final at the Statehouse in Concord on March 15th. The New Hampshire champion will advance to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in April in Washington, DC, where $50,000 dollars in awards and school prizes will be distributed.

“Souhegan has a fabulous track-record competing in Poetry Out Loud. Junior Olivia Vordenberg traveled to the National Finals in Washington DC as a freshman, and Senior Emmy McGuy represented Souhegan as a State Finalist last year,” said Jeanne Sturges, who coordinates the event at Souhegan.

The competition, presented in partnership with the NH State Council on the Arts, 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.  

WHAT: Souhegan HS Poetry Out Loud Final Competition

WHEN: Tuesday, Feb 19th, 2013 (Snow date: Thursday, Feb. 21st) 7:00 pm

WHERE: Souhegan High School Theater, Amherst, NH

Attendance is free and open to the public. For further information, contact Jeanne Sturges, Writing Center Coordinator, at jsturges@sprise.com or 673-9940.