South Carolina Arts Commission

: : : : :

SC Arts Commission Press Releases

Students from 40 South Carolina High Schools to Slam Poetry

Jan. 13, 2010

Media Contacts:

(803) 734-8620

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Champions from 40 high schools are now advancing to one of three regional competitions Jan. 16-24 as a part of the 2009-2010 Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest, a program that builds on the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as seen in the slam poetry movement. Students will compete for one of nine spots slotted for this year’s state finals March 20 in Columbia.

The competition schedule is as follows:

Midlands: Jan. 16 at 2 p.m., Sumter Little Theater, 14 Mood Avenue, Sumter
Upstate: Jan. 23 at 2 p.m., Showroom at Hub-Bub, 149 S. Daniel Morgan Ave., Spartanburg
Lowcountry: Jan. 24 at 2 p.m., College of Charleston Alumni Memorial Hall, Randolph Hall, 65 George St., Charleston

Three finalists from each region advance to state finals. The state champion will receive $200, a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books for their school library, and an all-expense paid trip to the POL national finals April 26-27 in Washington, D.C. A runner up will also receive $100, and their library will receive a $200 poetry book stipend. Shannon Laribo from Ashley Hall is the 2008-2009 South Carolina state champion.

"Poetry Out Loud" is a national recitation contest created in 2005 by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. Students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage while gaining an appreciation of poetry. Last year more than 200,000 students in all U.S. states and the U.S. Virgin Islands competed. The winner received a $20,000 scholarship.

Collaborating with the Arts Commission to carry out this year's statewide program are Hub City Writers Project, Sumter County Cultural Commission, the Lowcountry Initiative for the Literary Arts, Humanities Council SC and the Columbia Museum of Art. For more, contact Frances Kablick at (803) 734-8639.

About SCAC:
The South Carolina Arts Commission is the state agency charged with creating a thriving arts environment that benefits all South Carolinians, regardless of their location or circumstances. Created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the Arts Commission works to increase public participation in the arts by providing services, grants and leadership initiatives in three areas: arts education, community arts development and artist development. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the Arts Commission is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources. For more information, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com or call (803) 734-8696.

###