The Division of Cultural Affairs is once again participating in the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest – a literature program for high school students in every state in the country, initiated by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. After a very successful pilot program in 2005, the 2006-2007 project in Florida was expanded to include additional Florida school districts, including public schools, private schools, parochial schools and home-schooled students, around the state.  More are expected this year.  Language Arts teachers in Florida are presenting the NEA’s exciting poetry study materials to their classes, and encouraging students to become involved in school-wide competitions to select a “Best-of-School” student winner to send to our State Finals contest which will take place at the R.A.Gray Building in March, 2008. The Florida state winner and chaperone will be given an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC to compete in the national contest.

Poetry Out Loud is administered in partnership with the State Arts Agencies of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. By encouraging high school students to memorize and perform great poems, Poetry Out Loud invites the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word, and theater into the English class. This exciting program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. The national winner takes home $20,000 in college scholarship funds, and is recognized by national media. Poetry Out Loud awarded a total of $100,000 in prizes to high school students and schools at the state and national levels in its inaugural year.

To participate or to get more information on the classroom poetry program, please contact Ken Crawford at 850.245.6395, or via email.

Click here to view last year's winners.

View our Poetry Out Loud PSA

View our Poetry Out Loud 2008 Trailer | transcripts