Superintendent Dr. Alan Cron
34 MacKinlay Way,
Rockland, MA 02370
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018
Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net
Rockland High School Students Compete in Poetry Out Loud Competition
ROCKLAND — Principal John M. Harrison is pleased to announce that Rockland High School hosted its 13th annual Poetry Out Loud competition earlier this month.
Poetry Out Loud is a national organization funded by the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. It aims to help students learn more about poetry, refine their public speaking skills, build their self confidence and enhance their understanding of literary history and contemporary life.
Senior Eden Dalton, junior John Ellard and senior Kellie Berrie placed first, second and third, respectively, in the RHS competition on Friday, Jan. 19.
The three top three finishers received scholarship money totaling $175, and Dalton will represent RHS at the Southeast Regional Semi-Final of the Massachusetts Poetry Out Loud competition, which will be held on Cape Cod this spring.
Dalton’s recitations of “I Find No Peace,” by Sir Thomas Wyatt and “Beautiful Wreckage,” by W. D. Ehrhart earned her the top prize in the contest, which was judged by RHS faculty members Karen Bonn, Bill Boyer, Jake Carey and Amy Woodward.
“This event requires our students to be passionate, articulate, and confident and they all did a terrific job.It is not easy to recite poetry in front of a large audience and be able to capture the author’s message in the delivery,” Principal Harrison said. “I am very proud of all the participants and I commend our English Department, under the direction of Ms. Cahill, for putting this event together every year.”
The Southeast Regional competition will take place on March 4 in South Yarmouth, where Eden will face winners from other high schools in the region for a chance to compete in the State Finals at the Huntington Theatre in Boston.
Winners from each state will win a cash prize of $200 and a trip to Washington D.C. to compete in the national competition from April 23-25 at George Washington University. The state champion’s school will receive $500 to support the expansion of its poetry collection.
Poetry Out Loud is made possible by funding from the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information click here.
About the Poetry Foundation
The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience. The Poetry Foundation seeks to be a leader in shaping a receptive climate for poetry by developing new audiences, creating new avenues for delivery, and encouraging new kinds of poetry through innovative partnerships, prizes, and programs. For more information, visit poetryfoundation.org.
Follow the Poetry Foundation and Poetry on Facebook at facebook.com/poetryfoundation or on Twitter @PoetryFound.
About the NEA
The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $5 billion to strengthen the creative capacity of our communities by providing all Americans with diverse opportunities for arts participation. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov. View this release at arts.gov.
External Media Contacts
Poetry Foundation:
Elizabeth Burke-Dain
eburkedain@poetryfoundation.org
312-799-8016
NEA:
Sally Gifford, 202-682-5606
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