Poetry Out Loud

The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation joined together to create Poetry Out Loud, a program that encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation.

The program is administered by state arts agencies, in cooperation with a nonprofit organization in each state. This year, Theatre IV received a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts to facilitate the Poetry Out Loud competition in Virginia.

Theatre IV Arts-in-Education Manager Jeanie Rule (left), and Tour Assistant Christna Billew (below right), have done the lion's share of working tirelessly to coordinate the program, which involves working with high school teachers, schools and performance venues to set up regional competitions across the Commonwealth, culminating with the state competition at Theatre IV's Empire Theatre in downtown Richmond. The winners of each statewide competition proceed to the finals at the nation's Capitol in Washington D.C. in April.

The inspiration for this competition is to promote the art of poetry in both the classroom and the community. The program provides an entry point for many students to learn to love poetry and find poems that will stay with them for a lifetime.

A commitment to education is one of the pillars of Theatre IV's mission, and we are thrilled to be at the helm of this wonderful program in Virginia. Interestingly, last year's national competition winner, William Farley, was from Virginia.

As Jeanie said, "I'm a firm believer that lightning CAN strike twice!"