Deadline Extended for Poetry Out Loud

The Wyoming Arts Council (WAC) invites teachers in grades 9-12 to sign up their classes for this spring's Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. The National Endowment for the Arts, the nation’s largest arts' funder, and the Poetry Foundation, the nation’s largest literary organization, have joined with the WAC to bring Poetry Out Loud to high schools across America.

Poetry Out Loud builds on the recent resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as demonstrated by the slam poetry movement and the immense popularity of rap music. The 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 internalize our rich literary heritage.

Last year, 11 schools from throughout Wyoming participated in the program. Kamaria Stephens from Cheyenne East High School won the state finals and represented Wyoming at the national finals in Washington, D.C.

Share this information with high school drama, speech and language arts teachers. Please respond by Feb. 21. FMI: Marcia Dunsmore, Poetry Out Loud Coordinator, 307-746-4110.

Labels: contests, poetry, Poetry Out Loud, students, University of Wyoming

- posted by Michael Shay @ 2:04 PM 0 comments

 
Last call for Wyoming Writers, Inc., Contest

The postmark deadline for the Wyoming Writers, Inc., annual writing contest is Jan. 31!

You may enter in the following five categories: Adult Fiction, Adult Non-fiction, Fiction Written for Children, Free Verse and Traditional Poetry. You may enter more than one piece.

Each entry should be accompanied by a $10 fee for members and $15 per entry for non-members. Again, there is no limit to the number of entries. One check may be written for all the fees; however, no fees will be refunded unless there are fewer than nine entries in any category. Each entry must be accompanied by an Affidavit of Authorship (available from the Contest Chair) and a cover sheet. All work must be unpublished and not previously submitted for publication. All work must be in English and must be the original work of the author. Word limit is 3,500 words for prose and 40 lines for poems. Critiques are available for an additional $10 fee apiece.

Entries should be mailed to Myra Mumma, Wyoming Writers, Inc. Contest Chair, 1610 Big Flat Rd., Missoula, MT 59804-9222.

FMI: Myra Mumma at rym528@yahoo.com.

Labels: contests, poets, writers, Wyoming Writers

- posted by Michael Shay @ 11:42 AM 0 comments