Poetry Out Loud national recitation contest announced

The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation present Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, in partnership with The Nevada Arts Council.

Nevada public, private, charter, parochial, alternative schools and Nevada home school associations are invited to be part of the trend in the art of the spoken word by participating in the sixth annual Nevada Poetry Out Loud program.

Structured similarly to the National Spelling Bee, POL engages high school-aged students in memorizing and performing works of poetry and competing at local levels with the hopes of making it to the Nevada State Finals and the National Finals in Washington, D.C.

Last year, more than 2,900 students, teachers and coaches participated in Nevada's POL program. The Nevada State Champion, Emily Orellana, returned to the National Poetry Out Loud Finals in Washington, D.C. for the second year in a row and emerged as one of nine finalists receiving $1,000 and $500 for the purchase of poetry books for her school.

Teachers are invited to find out more about 2011 Nevada Poetry Out Loud and to register to participate at the Nevada Arts Council's website, nac.nev

adaculture.org or by contacting Maryjane Doro-fachuk at 702-486-3738 or mdorofachuk@nevada

culture.org.

For further information on Poetry Out Loud prizes, visit www.poetryoutloud.org.