John Ostrout, director of the State & Regional Partnerships program at the National Endowment for the Arts, sent this news to state arts agencies on May 7:One week ago today, your state’s Poetry Out Loud (POL) champion participated with peers from across the country to celebrate the arts through poetry. The celebration in Washington, D.C., was truly a remarkable event. Your leadership contributed to its resounding success. Thank you once again. NEA Chairman Dana Gioia has asked us to inform you that the NEA will increase the State POL support from $10,000 to $15,000 for the coming year. In his remarks throughout the POL festivities, he complimented the partnership between the NEA and the SAAs that produced this groundbreaking national initiative.
This means that the Wyoming Arts Council will receive extra funding during the 2007-2008 school year for Poetry Out Loud. Wyoming has participated during the first two years of POL, and four Wyoming students and their high schools have received cash prizes. WAC staff members consider this an important program and plan to expand it. We encourage interested teachers to e-mail Michael Shay or Camellia El-Antably. And check out the Poetry Out Loud web site for more information.
PHOTO CAPTION: The Poetry Foundation President John W. Barr, 2007 Poetry Out Loud National Champion Amanda Fernandez, and NEA Chairman Dana Gioia at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals. Photo by James Kegley.
