Indiana High School Students to Participate in Poetry Out Loud State Finals

Indiana Arts Commission, Poetry Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts logosCollage of photos of 15 high school students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                               March 7, 2022

Indiana High School Students to Participate in Poetry Out Loud State Finals

(Indianapolis, Indiana) The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) announced today that students representing fifteen high schools from around the state will compete in the virtual Indiana Poetry Out Loud State Finals. The Poetry Out Loud State Finals will occur live on Wednesday, March 9th at 5:30PM ET.  

Since 2005, the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and Indiana Arts Commission have worked with Indiana schools, teachers, and organizations to bring students a unique way to learn and love poetry. Through Poetry Out Loud, students read, memorize, and recite classic and contemporary poems. 

The fifteen students taking part in the 2022 Poetry Out Loud State Finals include:  

Tilly Robinson, Bloomington High School South 
Kenlie Thomas, Bluffton High School 
Madeline Phuong, Homestead High School 
Aalihya Banks, Pike High School 
Taylor Bush, Franklin Central High School 
Mikayla Holstein, Indiana Connections Academy 
Lila Ward, Columbia City High School, Eagle Tech Academy 
Layla Sanders, Columbus Signature Academy New Tech High School 
Sreepadaarchana Munjuluri, Columbus North High School 
Destiny Wells, Indiana Digital Learning School 
Hannah Coe, Monroe Central Jr.-Sr. High School 
Gabriel Porter, West Washington Jr.-Sr. High School 
Claudia Buschkoetter, Jasper High School 
Jehanna Fisher, Early College High School
Madison Sherman, Forest Park Jr.-Sr. High School 

The virtual finals will be hosted by Lucia Walker and Jayden Baskin. Lucia Walker is the 2021 Indiana Poetry Out Loud State Champion and a recent graduate of Bloomington High School South. Jayden Baskin is the 2021 Poetry Ourselves State Champion and a recent graduate of Pike High School. 

The State Champion receives a $200 cash prize and the Champion's school receives a $500 stipend to purchase poetry books. Each State Finalist will receive an original Poetry Out Loud screen print by artist Tahj Mullins and a book of poetry. 

Poetry Out Loud is a national partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. 

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Media Contact:

Connie Brahm
Director of Marketing and Communications
Indiana Arts Commission

cbrahm@iac.in.gov

Program Contact:

Stephanie Haines
Arts Education and Accessibility Manager
Indiana Arts Commission

shaines@iac.in.gov