LISBON — On Dec. 1, the Lisbon Library came alive with sounds of poetry filling the air. A total of 14 Lisbon High School students from freshman to seniors qualified to compete in the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation Nation Recitation Contest for Poetry Out Loud.

Students recitation to rounds of poetry before a panel of judges and a packed audience of relatives, friends, staff, community members and peers. The program involved recitation and performance as major new trends in poetry. There has been a recent resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as seen in the slam poetry movement and the immense popularity of hip-hop music. Poetry Out Loud builds on that momentum by inviting the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word and theater in the English class.

The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have partnered with State Arts Agencies of the United States to support the expansion of Poetry Out Loud, which encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance. This exciting program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about the literary heritage.

Each winner at the state level will receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington to compete for the national championship. The state winner’s school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. A runner-up in each state will receive $100, with $200 for his/her school library. A total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends at the National Finals will be awarded to winners.

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