Elena Morris, a student at Oregon Charter School in Mill City, will compete for the state championship at the 2022 Oregon Virtual Poetry Out Loud State Contest on March 11. Morris is one of 11 high school students competing.
Poetry Out Loud is a national recitation contest for high school students, organized in Oregon by the Oregon Arts Commission in collaboration with the NEA and the Poetry Foundation. Participants memorize and present poems, practicing public speaking skills while exploring the complexity of poetry.
The host of the 2022 Oregon State Contest will be Joaquin Lopez, a performing artist, musician and mental health counselor whose work is grounded in personal transformation, self-expression and Latino Queer identity. Lopez currently serves as co-Creative Laureate of Portland.
The 2022 Poetry Out Loud State Contest is again being conducted virtually to ensure the safety and health of participating students and staff.
The students’ performances will be judged on physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, evidence of understanding, overall performance and accuracy.
Scores will determine the state champion and a runner up. The champion will be invited to compete in the National Poetry Out Loud Semifinals on May 1. The top nine students will advance to the National Finals on June 5.
The contest will be streamed live on the Oregon Arts Commission’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel at 5 p.m. March 11.
