For Immediate Release: March 11, 2008 Elaine Mariner, Director, elaine.mariner@state.co.us Council on the Arts Announces the 2008 State Champion for Poetry Out Loud Freshman from Palmer High in Colorado Springs Wins First Place

DENVER (March 11, 2008). Brittany Harden, a 15-year old freshman from William J. Palmer High School in Colorado Springs successfully competed for the title of Colorado State Champion of the National Poetry Out Loud competition, sponsored by the Colorado Council on the Arts, the national Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. Hannah Gilbert from Estes Park High School was named the Runner Up.

On March 4, fourteen students from high schools around the state participated in the third annual Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, for a chance at the Colorado state title. Schools in the Denver Metro area as well as Niwot, Beulah, Colorado Springs, Swink and Estes Park were all represented.

Judges for the event were professionals in the poetry and theatre disciplines including Denver Poet Laureate Chris Ransick, poet Lisa Zimmerman of Ft. Collins, Ashara Ekundayo, founder of the Pan African Arts Society, Gwylym Cano, actor and filmmaker, and theatre director Kenneth Grimes. Emcee for the event was Reggie Rivers, former Bronco, media personality and author.

Each student recited two poems and was scored in six categories including physical presence, voice projection and articulation, overall performance, and accuracy. Participating students won the opportunity to compete at the state level after winning recitation contests at the classroom, grade, and school-wide levels.

As State Champion, Ms. Harden receives $200 and an all expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. next month to compete in the National Finals of Poetry Out Loud. Her school receives $500 for the purchase of poetry books for the school library. The Runner Up, Ms. Gilbert, will be awarded $100 and $200 for the Estes Park High School library.

Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest was created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation in 2005. The program is administered in partnership with the State Arts agencies of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with The Colorado Council on the Arts responsible for facilitating the Colorado State program and Championship.

By encouraging high school students to memorize and perform great poems, Poetry Out Loud invites the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word, and theater into the English class and helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.

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