Arts Council Napa Valley announces the Countywide contest for Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest.

The competition, presented in partnership with Arts Council Napa Valley, California Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. On January 29th, 10 high school students from Napa County will participate in the Poetry Out Loud school contest at the Lucky Penny Community Arts Center.

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country. Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to a countywide competition, then to the state competition, and ultimately to the National Finals in Washington, DC.

For the first time ever, on March 18-19, 2018 the California Poetry Out Loud State Finals competition will take place on the floor of the Assembly in the State Capitol Building! Each champion at the state level will receive $200 and an all‐expenses‐paid trip to Washington, DC, to compete for the national championship. To learn more about the California Poetry Out Loud contest, visit www.poetryoutloud.org.