POETRY OUT LOUD STATE FINALS–COME CELEBRATE 10 YEARS!

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Lake Wilburn, a junior at Centennial High School in Columbus, recited "Double Dutch," by Gregory Pardlo and "When You Are Old," by William Butler Yeats during the morning round of the national finals of the "Poetry Out Loud" competition at Lisner Auditorium in Washington, D.C. (Photo by James Kegley)
Lake Wilburn recited “Double Dutch,” by Gregory Pardlo and “When You Are Old,” by William Butler Yeats during the morning round of the national finals of the Poetry Out Loud competition in Washington, D.C. (Photo by James Kegley)
by Molly Rutledge
Come see Ohio’s next Poetry Out Loud (POL) state champion be named at the 2015 State Finals this Saturday, March 7, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Lincoln Theatre (769 E. Long St., Columbus) in downtown Columbus. The event is free and open to the public.
This year marks the program’s 10th anniversary. The state champion will receive $300 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the national finals in April, and the champion’s school will receive $500 for their library.
At the State Finals, 34 Ohio school champions will recite two prepared poems. Judges will then choose six finalists. After the finalists recite one last poem, judges will select a state champion.
All finalists will be awarded original artwork from Cleveland printmaker Michael Gilland a volume of poetry Kazim Ali, who will also recite at the event.
Following the State Finals, 53 young adults, representing every U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia, will gather in the nation’s capital to compete for $50,000. Before joining together on the national stage, students participate in thousands of high school recitation contests across the country—from Alaska to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Ohio’s champions have been particularly successful at the national level. Jackson Hille of Columbus Alternative High School won the POL National Recitation Contest in its very first year, earning $20,000. In 2009, Mido Aly of Upper Arlington High School placed in the top nine at the National Finals. Taribo Osuobeni of Westerville Central High School received an honorable mention in 2013, and last year, Lake Wilburn of Centennial High School (Columbus) placed second in the nation and won a $10,000 cash prize.
Jackson Hille won first place at the 2006 national finals.
Jackson Hille displaying his award at the state finals in 2006.
Over the past ten years, participation in Ohio’s POL competition has grown. Seven schools participated in the first state finals, all hailing from the central Ohio region. This year, Ohio POLboasts 59 registered high schools across the state. More than 9,000 Ohio students participated this year alone.
Former state Senator Eric Kearney of Cincinnati will emcee the event. An avid poetry-lover, he sponsored legislation to create the position of Ohio Poet Laureate, which Governor John R. Kasich signed into law.
Volunteering as judges for this year’s State Finals are Ohio poets Steve Abbott, Ray McNiece, and Hannah Stevenson, as well as Ohio Center for the Book Director Amy Dawson and Wexner Center for the Arts Educator for School Programs Dionne Custer Edwards. All poems are selected from the POL anthology.
In sum, Poetry Out Loud is a complete program that starts in the classroom. It builds self confidence, public speaking skills, and an appreciation for literary heritage. But perhaps most importantly, Poetry Out Loud ensures poetry will thrive as an art form for generations to come.
To learn more about Poetry Out Loud in Ohio, visit the Ohio Arts Council’s website, or contact the OAC’s Arts Learning Coordinator Chiquita Mullins Lee at 614/728-4455 if you’re interested in becoming involved in Poetry Out Loud.