John Barr Part of Effort To Bring 'Poetry Out Loud' to Schools

An effort to build on the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form is underway by the "Poetry Out Loud" program, which is extending its poetry recitation competition to all Michigan high school students. Awards will be presented to the students who best recite previously published poetry. The winning student in Michigan will represent the state in a national competition.

This year, all high schools in the state will be invited to participate, expanding on the pilot program, in which five schools competed in 2005-2006, and 11 schools competed in 2006-2007.

The initiative is sponsored by Michigan Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and The Poetry Foundation, which publishes Poetry magazine. John Barr, a cottager on Mackinac Island, is president of The Poetry Foundation.

"Poetry Out Loud" seeks to build on the momentum of the slam poetry movement and the popularity of hip-hop music by inviting these dynamic aspects into English classes.

Language Arts and English teachers from any Michigan high school may participate, and will devote two or three weeks of class time between September 24 and February 25, 2008, to the project, in which a poet will offer a workshop and guide teachers in preparing students for school and state competitions. Teachers must then select one student to represent their school at the state competition, scheduled for March 8, 2008, at the Library of Michigan in Lansing.

The state winner will receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to the national contest in Washington, D.C., in April. The winner's school will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry books. The runner-up in the Michigan competition will receive $100, and $200 for the school library.

Students who participated in the "Poetry Out Loud" pilot program returned evaluations on the project, and 94% reported they saw connections between poetry and everyday culture; 84% understood that poetry can be a powerful tool for expression, and 51% said they became more confident in public speaking from the experience of reciting poetry.

Educators interested in participating must send a letter of interest to the Michigan Humanities Council by October 1. More information is available online at www.poetryoutloud.org.