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The North Dakota Council on the Arts is pleased to announce that the first place winner of the North Dakota State Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest is Devany Schulz of Shanley High School in Fargo, ND. The second place winner is Beatrice Hill of West Fargo High School in Fargo, ND. Third place was awarded to Kathryn Dorfschmidt of Century High School in Bismarck, ND. Rachel Geinert of Edgeley Public School, and Stephanie Dutenhafer of Newburg United, also placed in the top five. The competition was presented in partnership with The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation. The state finals competition took place on Tuesday, February 26, at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck, ND. Devany Schulz will advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC on April 27-29, 2008, where a total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends, with at least a $20,000 college scholarship for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion, will be awarded. Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the mastery of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic competition to high schools across the country. Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to the school-wide competition, then to the state capital competition, and ultimately to the National Finals in Washington, DC. At the state competition, Devany recited the poems The Luggage, Mrs. Caldera’s House of Things and Dover Beach. Beatrice Hill recited the poems Still I Rise, It was not death, for I stood up, and Domestic Violence. Kathryn recited the poems Unknown Girl in the Maternity Ward, Annabel Lee, and First Poem for You. Rachel recited The Spider and the Fly, Flood: Years of Solitude and Casey at the Bat; and Stephanie recited Fever 103°, To the Ladies and Lunar Baedeker. All the contestants recited works they selected from an anthology of more than 400 classic and contemporary poems. The NEA and Poetry Foundation created a standards-based teacher’s guide, a comprehensive website, and a CD featuring poetry recitations by well-known actors and writers such as Anthony Hopkins, Alyssa Milano, N. Scott Momaday, and Rita Dove. State Poet Laureate, Larry Woiwode, presented the awards to the participants. As first place winner, Devany received a plaque, certificate, engraved bookmark, $200 plus an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC, and her school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. As second place winner, Beatrice Hill received a certificate, an engraved bookmark, $100, plus $200 for her school library. As third place winner, Kathryn Dorfschmidt received a certificate, an engraved bookmark and a $50 gift certificate. All participating contestants and teachers received a Poetry Out Loud T-shirt. During the lunch break a Coffee House and Open Mic were available to the public. Students from participating schools, visiting students, adults, and teachers alike took part in the activities. The North Dakota state competition judges included: Shadd Piehl, Associate Poet Laureate; Bill Thomas, Director of Radio, Prairie Public; Cheryl Kulas, Executive Director, North Dakota Indian Affairs; and Jan Webb, Executive Director, North Dakota Council on the Arts. Larry Woiwode was the event Emcee, and live entertainment through the event was provided by Trio Apollo of Bismarck, and the Rolla High School Concert Choir under the direction of Sheila Zinke. For further information on Poetry Out Loud, visit www.poetryoutloud.org, or contact Linda Ehreth at (701) 328-7593 or via email at lehreth@nd.gov.
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