A Mt. Ararat High School student is off to Washington, D.C. in May for national competition after winning the 2016 Poetry Out Loud competition this month held in Waterville.
Rose Horowitz recited three poems: “In the Basement of the Goodwill Store” by Ted Kooser, “Mrs. Caldera’s House of Things” by Gregory Djanikian, and “On An Unsociable Family” by Elizabeth Hands. She will now compete for the national title and a total of $50,000 in awards, including a grand prize of $20,000.
Owen Sinclair from Rangeley Lakes Regional School was the runner-up. Both students will receive cash awards and their schools will receive prize money to purchase poetry books for their libraries.
In addition to Horowitz and Sinclair, other state finalists were: Lydia Caron, Bangor High School; Morgan Steward, Carrabec High School; Shiloh Munsen, Freeport High School; Charlotte Benoit, Greely High School; Danielle Barrett, Hampden Academy; Sylvia Holland, Maine Coast Waldorf School; Anna Bucklin, Searsport District High School; and Ben Millspaugh, Waynflete School.
You can hear some students’ talents here.
For more information about Poetry Out Loud, visit the Maine Arts Commission website or contact Maine Arts Commissioner Argy Nestor at argy.nestor@maine.gov.
For information regarding State support to schools for the arts, contact Maine DOE’s Visual & Performing Arts Specialist Beth Lambert at beth.lambert@maine.gov or call 624-6642.