Poetry Out Loud in Calaveras County

Student Poetry Recitation Competition

For the second year in a row, chairperson Ingrid Hjelmervik will take the lead in helping the Calaveras Arts Council present Poetry Out Loud. POL is a national arts education program that encourages high school students to study great poetry and ends with dynamic recitation competitions at schools. Each California county sends a student to the state competition, and state competition winners go on to compete in Washington D.C.

The Calaveras Arts Council supports this program enthusiastically. We're excited to be able to pay for the county champion and a chaperone to attend the State competition in Sacramento, and to provide a clothing stipend of $300. Second and third place winners get cash awards as well.

Need help? Mrs. Hjelmervik can help students find  information about where to find poems and how to choose them. 
There is also free coaching available.

All high school students are eligible to compete; homeschool students are encouraged to participate. All Interested students should contact the Arts Council at 209/754-1774 or [email protected].

County wide competition
CHS performing arts center
February 4 
5 to 8 p.m.

State competition
Sacramento
March 15-16

National competition
Washington D.C.
April 27-29

We were astonished and pleased at the student's enthusiasm last year; every student did an amazing job reciting their poems. Last year's Calaveras winner Sandra Meza said that the competition had a huge impact on her. 
​Click here to read an interview with Sandra.

Student competitors at the Calaveras County 2019 Poetry Out Loud competition

Last year's national champion, Isabella Callery recites one of her winning poems. You can see more POL competitors at the POL website. 

 
Poetry Out Loud is an initiative of the National Endowment of the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. In California it is administered in the state by the California Arts Council. The Calaveras County Arts Council is proud to be the county administration for this exciting program.
 
Learn more about this competition at www.capoetryoutloud.org