By Dawn Slade 

Jamee Snyder, a junior at Milaca High School, took first place at the Poetry Out Loud regional competition at St. John’s University on Friday, Feb. 12.

Sophomore Kristen Schindeldecker took seventh place.

Snyder will now go on to compete at the state level.

The competition, presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and the Minnesota State Arts Board is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition.

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country.

Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to a school-wide competition, then to state competition, and ultimately to the National Finals in Washington, D.C. Nearly 300,000 students across the country took part in Poetry Out Loud in 2008-2009. 

At  Milaca High  School, students recited works they selected from an anthology of more than 600 classic and contemporary poems.  Judges evaluated student performances on criteria including articulation, evidence of understanding, level of difficulty, and accuracy.

Teachers introduced poetry recitation in the classroom using materials created by the NEA and the Poetry Foundation, including a standards-based teacher’s guide, a website, a ‘best performances’ DVD, and a CD featuring poetry recitations by well-known actors and writers such as Anthony Hopkins and Rita Dove.

Snyder will advance to the State contest on March 8 at the Fitzgerald Theater where poet Robert Bly will be the guest speaker. 

Each champion at the state level will receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to compete for the national championship, April 26-27, 2010. 

The school of the state champion will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry books.

Last year Snyder placed second at the state level and received $100 and Milaca High School received $200 for the purchase of poetry books. 

To learn more about the Minnesota Poetry Out Loud contest, contact Minnesota State Arts Board or visit www.poetryoutloud.org.