05/02/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/02/2024 10:23
Photos of nine finalists by James Kegley
WHAT: Out of a field of 55 state and jurisdictional champions, nine high school students are advancing to the 2024 Poetry Out Loud National Finals on May 2. These students will recite classic and contemporary poems, competing for the title of 2024 Poetry Out Loud National Champion and a $20,000 award. A program of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation along with the state and jurisdictional arts agencies, Poetry Out Loud has reached more than 4.4 million students since it began in 2005. This year's state and jurisdictional champions advanced from more than 160,000 students nationwide.
WHEN/WHERE: Thursday, May 2, 7:00-9:15 p.m. ET at Lisner Auditorium, The George Washington University, 730 21st Street NW, Washington, DC. In addition, there will be a live, one-time-only webcast at arts.gov/Poetry-Out-Loud.
WHO: Hosted by Huascar Medina, poet, editor, and National Council on the Arts member. Judges are H-Dirksen L. Bauman, Amber McBride, Lupe Mendez, Mei Ann Teo, and Laura Tohe. The evening will also include a performance by acclaimed Haitian-American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter Leyla McCalla.
2024 Poetry Out Loud National Finalists:
INTERVIEWS: Pre-event interviews with the nine national finalists are available on request. Contact Carolyn Coons at [email protected] to arrange an interview.
PHOTOS/VIDEOS:
CONTACT: Media must send a request for coverage to [email protected] by 5 p.m. ET tonight. Video crews covering the Thursday night national finals must arrive by 6:45 p.m. to reserve a space. No flash photography.