CCT: POL Home


Connecticut Commission on
Culture & Tourism -
Arts Division
One Constitution Plaza
Second Floor
Hartford, CT 06103
860-256-2800
860-256-2811 (fax)

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Since the 2005-06 school year, students from high schools across Connecticut have benefited from POL, a program sponsored by National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation. This free recitation program encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance, which help students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about our literary heritage.  The State Champion represents Connecticut in the National finals held in Washington, DC in April.

For more information or to register your school for the program, please contact Amy Freidman, Program Manager at (860) 256-2729 or amy.freidman@ct.gov.



Connecticut Poetry Out Loud (POL) Statewide Activities: {Connecticut State Champion for 2010: Edwin Carbajal, Wilton High School}

September

POL Informational Meetings throughout the state

 November  POL registration due

November

Professional Development Workshop for CT high school teachers registered to participate

November through February

·   Participating teachers conduct POL activities in their classrooms using the POL teacher guide and materials provided 

·   Teaching artists visit participating schools

·   Classroom and school champs are identified in each school

February

School Champion Workshop for school champions, runners-up, and their teachers.

March

State Finals at Saint Joseph College’s Carol Autorino Center for the Arts and Humanities.

April

State Champion competes in National Final competition in Washington, DC



Press Releases
2010 Connecticut State Finals
2009 Connecticut State Finals
2008 Connecticut State Finals
2007 Connecticut State Finals
2006 Connecticut State Finals



2009-10 Participating Schools

The following schools participated in Poetry Out Loud last year.  Please contact Amy Freidman at amy.freidman@ct.gov for more information about participating.

Amistad-Elm City High School – New Haven
Avon High School – Avon
Bacon Academy – Colchester
Berlin High School – Berlin
Big Picture High School – Bloomfield
Bolton High School – Bolton
Branford High School – Branford
Coginchaug Regional High School – Durham
Daniel Hand High School – Madison
Darien High School – Darien
East Windsor High School – East Windsor
Franklin Academy – East Haddam
The Gilbert School – Winsted
Lewis S. Mills High School – Burlington
Lyman Memorial High School – Lebanon
Memorial Middle School – Middlebury
Montville High School – Montville
The Morgan School – Clinton
Newington High School – Newington
Newtown High School – Newtown
Northwest Catholic High School – West Hartford
Oxford High School – Oxford
Pathways to Technology – Hartford/Windsor
Renbrook School – West Hartford
Rockville High School – Vernon
Thames River Academy – Norwich
Valley Regional High School – Deep River
Wilton High School – Wilton
Windsor High School – Windsor
Wolcott High School – Wolcott


Contest Structure

Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners from each class will advance to the school-wide competition. Each school will send a finalist to the state competition. Ultimately, one student per state will advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC On average, more than 200,000 students nationwide take part annually.


NCTE Standards and Classroom Time
Poetry Out Loud satisfies more than half of the NCTE English Language Arts Standards. The Teachers' Guide includes all elements the teacher needs to implement the program, from tools to help students memorize and perform great poems, to optional lesson plans that give students opportunities to discuss poems and write poetry.

The schedule and curriculum for Poetry Out Loud have been intentionally designed to fit into a teacher's busy schedule without much disruption. The program takes place in the classroom over about two to three weeks, and does not require full class periods during that time.


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Free Program Materials and Services

In addition to hands-on training with professional artists, participating schools receive the following free multimedia educational materials:
  • Teachers' guide to help instructors teach recitation and performance
  • A comprehensive web site, http://www.poetryoutloud.org that includes program materials, writing activities, and lesson plans
  • An extensive online poetry anthology of approximately 500 poems
  • Hardcopy anthologies of approximately 130 poems
  • Audio CD of distinguished actors and writers reciting and talking about poetry
  • Best Performance DVD 
  • Media guides and promotional materials

Prizes
Each 2010 winner at the state level received $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip (with a chaperone) to travel to Washington, DC, for the National Finals. The state winner's school received a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. A runner-up in each state received $100, with $200 for his or her school library. Winners receive $50,000 total in scholarships and school stipends at the National Finals, with a $20,000 college scholarship for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion.





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