Students from Carson City, Lyon, Storey and Washoe counties among 'Poetry Out Loud' finalists to compete Saturday
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Mon, 03/04/2024 - 3:11pm
Event Date:
March 9, 2024 - 12:00pm
Six students from across Nevada will take the stage at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts on March 9 to compete in the 19th Annual Poetry Out Loud Nevada State Finals, a national arts education program and competition supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.
The Nevada Arts Council, a division of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs that helps to stimulate artistic and economic activity across the state, has been facilitating Nevada’s participation in the program for 19 years. At noon on Saturday, March 9, the public is invited to watch for free as the contestants recite their prepared poetry on stage at the Pioneer Center for Performing Arts, and vie for the chance to compete nationally.
The Poetry Out Loud contest is a national program designed to help students build critical self-confidence and cultivate public speaking skills through a dynamic, poetry recitation competition. Students recite their choice of selected poems (revolving around literary history and contemporary life) within their school and the winners then advance to a district competition. Those who win at the district level get the chance to compete in statewide contests.
“We’re looking forward to this year’s Poetry Out Loud program, which celebrates the power of poetry while empowering young voices across our state,” said Tony Manfredi, executive director of the Nevada Arts Council. “This program gives students a chance to engage with timeless literary works while cultivating essential skills in communication and introducing them further to the power of self-expression. We encourage friends of the arts - and of these students - to come and support these young artists.
This year’s competitors are Nasia Perkins from Carson City, Marianne Ocampo from Clark County, Kyara Hernandez-Duarte from Elko County, Yosselin Vazquez Madera from Lyon County, Mariah Mavity from Storey County and Rayann Hijazi from Washoe County.
The state finals will result in a single winner getting the chance to advance to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, D.C., April 30 to May 2, 2024.
“I found my love for poetry (last) year,” said 2023 Poetry Out Loud Nevada state champion Ashlee Sandoval. “I was never a big poet until my English class and drama class. I found that poetry was beautiful and very soul connecting.”
The Pioneer Center for Performing Arts is located on 100 S Virginia Street in Reno. To learn more about Poetry Out Loud and the National Arts Council, visit www.nvartscouncil.org.
