Salem, Oregon – Virtual semifinals held this week identified the 12 Oregon high school students who will compete in Oregon’s 2024 Poetry Out Loud State Contest on Saturday, March 9. The State Contest, which will feature a presentation by former Oregon Poet Laureate Kim Stafford, is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. at Salem Public Library. The state champion will compete at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, scheduled for April 30 to May 2 in Washington D.C.
Poetry Out Loud is a recitation contest for high school students, organized in Oregon by the Oregon Arts Commission in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. Participants memorize and present poems, practicing public performance skills while exploring the complexity of poetry.
The students advancing to Oregon’s 2024 State Contest are: Brooklyn Carr Heuer, West Linn High School; Cara Chen, Lakeridge High School (Lake Oswego); Maria Daniels, St. Stephen's Academy (Beaverton); Tali Greenfield, Lakeridge High School (Lake Oswego); Traiton Kramer, Oregon School for the Deaf (Salem); Katie Lineburg, St. Stephen's Academy (Beaverton); Arianna Morris, Redmond High School; Brayden Olsen, Oregon School for the Deaf (Salem); Kaydence Pope, South Medford High School; Misha Rana, West Linn High School; Mariah Reynolds, Redmond High School; and Bena Rodecap, Grant High School (Portland).
“All of the student performances were enthusiastic and heartfelt, which made selecting the finalists to move on to the state competition a challenge,” said Tiffany Harker, the Arts Commission’s arts education/Poetry Out Loud coordinator.
The State Contest will be held in Loucks Auditorium at Salem Public Library (585 Liberty Street SE). It is free and open to the public.
Please note: Student photos and bio information available upon request.
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The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the Governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of Business Oregon (formerly Oregon Economic and Community Development Department) in 1993, in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. In 2003, the Oregon legislature moved the operations of the Oregon Cultural Trust to the Arts Commission, streamlining operations and making use of the Commission’s expertise in grantmaking, arts and cultural information and community cultural development.
The Arts Commission is supported with general funds appropriated by the Oregon legislature and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust. More information about the Oregon Arts Commission is available online at artscommission.oregon.gov