Poetry Out Loud Winners Named in Connecticut State Finals

{Contestants Mariam Sulieman, Taylor Smith, and Champion Mary Falkowski}

Hartford, Conn. (April 20, 2006) -  Mary Falkowski, a sophomore at Rockville High School in Vernon, was named Connecticut's State Champion of the Poetry Out Loud State Finals competition held Tuesday, April 11, 2006, at the State Capitol. Taylor Smith, a sophomore at Avon High School, placed second; and Mariam Sulieman, a junior at the Pathways to Technology Magnet School, a Hartford Magent School in Windsor, was runner up.

Poetry Out Loud was presented by the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism and State Department of Education, in partnership with The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation, as part of a national program that encourages students from Capitol Region high schools to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance and competition.  Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to the school-wide competition, then to the State Capitol competition, and ultimately to the National Finals in Washington, DC.  More than 250,000 students across the country took part in Poetry Out Loud this year.

During the State finals, contestants recited works they selected from an anthology of more than 400 classic and contemporary poems. The NEA and Poetry Foundation created a standards-based teacher’s guide, a comprehensive website, and a CD featuring poetry recitations by well-known actors and writers such as Anthony Hopkins, Alyssa Milano, N. Scott Momaday and Rita Dove.

As Poetry Out Loud State Champion, Mary Falkowski will go on an all expenses-paid trip (with a chaperone) to compete in the National Finals in Washington, DC, on May 16, 2006.  In addition, she will receive $200, with a $500 stipend to Rockville High School for the purchase of poetry books.  Taylor Smith will receive $100, with $200 for his school library.   At the State Finals, all three students received a collection of poetry from the Commission on Culture & Tourism.  John Ostrout, director of State and Regional Partnerships at the National Endowment for the Arts, presented the students with certificates of recognition.  The Poetry Out Loud National Finals will award a total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends, with a $20,000 college scholarship for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion. 

According to Vicky Norlund, creative writing teacher at Rockville High School, Mary embraced the Poetry Out Loud experience with dedication and passion.  “Mary challenged herself throughout the process and worked very hard to bring her own unique style to the recitations.  She also found great inspiration in the visiting poet, Reggie Marra,”  said Norlund.  “Mary is a gifted writer whose own work reflects great depth and emotion.” 

Norlund added that the program provided Rockville High School students with a greater appreciation of poetry and have been inspired to write poetry of their own.  “Poetry Out Loud has been a wonderful enrichment to the creative writing curriculum,” she said. “It was a joy to see so many powerful poems brought to life.”

 “Poetry Out Loud helps bring back poetry as an art form,” said Jennifer Aniskovich, executive director of the Commission on Culture & Tourism.  “The public recitation of poetry helps students master public speaking skills and build self-confidence – skills that they use for the rest of their lives.”

About the National Endowment for the Arts

This year, the National Endowment for the Arts marks its 40th anniversary of leadership in the arts.  The NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts – both new and established – bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education.  Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the largest national funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities and military bases.

About the Poetry Foundation

The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is one of the largest literary organizations in the world.  The Poetry Foundation seeks to be a leader in shaping a receptive climate for poetry by developing new audiences, creating new avenues for delivery, and encouraging new kinds of poetry through innovative literary prizes and programs.  In addition to launching a major new poetry Web site, the Poetry Foundation recently conducted the first-ever study designed to find out where poetry stands in American culture.  For more information, please visit PoetryFoundation.org.

About the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism

The Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism brings together tourism, film, history and the arts.  Its mission is to preserve and promote Connecticut’s cultural and tourism assets in order to enhance the quality of life and economic vitality of the state.  The Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism is located at One Financial Plaza, 755 Main Street, Hartford, Connecticut.