Write Out Loud Coordinates for Local High Schools Poetry Out Loud Regional Finals

Write Out Loud - an organization founded in 2007 with a commitment to inspire, challenge and entertain by reading short stories aloud for a live audience - announces the 2017 POETRY OUT LOUD Regional Finals. The National Poetry Foundation, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and managed in California by the California Arts Council presents POETRY OUT LOUD, a national poetry recitation competition for high school students. San Diego Regional Finals take place on Tuesday, February 7th at 6:30 pm at the San Diego Central Library, Joan Λ Irwin Jacobs Common in the Neil Morgan Auditorium. It is free and open to the public.

In 2014, WRITE OUT LOUD was selected by the California Arts Council to be the Regional Coordinator for San Diego County. Since then, the program has grown from serving 1 school to 8 schools from South Bay to East County. This year hundreds of students are competing at the school level and top performers will compete for a chance to represent San Diego at the State Finals in Sacramento. San Diego Central Library is an invaluable partner in providing this opportunity to young people from throughout the county.

At this year's Regional Finals, poems will be presented by the top two finalists representing the following schools. The San Diego finalist, who will continue on to the State Finals in Sacramento on March 12 - 13, will be announced that evening. The winner of the State competition will go on to the National Competition in DC on April 25 - 26.

Bayfront Charter School - Chula Vista

Mater Dei Catholic High School - Chula Vista

Valley Center High School - Valley Center

Grossmont Middle College High School - El Cajon

Helix High School - La Mesa

Coronado High School - Coronado

San Diego Virtual School - Chula Vista

Judges for POETRY OUT LOUD include Brandon Cesmat, Poet and Educator; Charles Harrington Elster, Author; Mark Christopher Lawrence, Actor; Rob Lutfy, Associate Artistic Director - Cygnet Theatre Company; Paul Maley, Actor, Playwright, Educator and Steve Torres-Roman, Teen Services Librarian - San Diego Central Library. Additional information can be found at www.writeoutloudsd.com.

In addition to coordinating Poetry Out Loud for high school students, WRITE OUT LOUD provides the community five other core programs serving over 16,000 people annually. Additional programs include Story Concerts, TwainFest - a free literary celebration in August in Old Town, Stories for Seniors, StoryBox Theatre for elementary students and Read Imagine Create for teens.

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