17 will compete in state Poetry Out Loud championship

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky's 17 Poetry Out Loud school champions will compete for the state championship March 12 in Frankfort, the next tier of competition in the national poetry recitation contest. The state winner will advance to the national Poetry Out Loud competition.

The state finals, which are open to the public, will be Tuesday, March 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern time at the Capital Plaza Hotel, 405 Wilkinson Blvd., Frankfort, Ky. The program is coordinated by the Kentucky Arts Council.

"Congratulations to each of the school champions who made it through the first two levels, and now will compete to represent the Commonwealth at the national level," said Lori Meadows, arts council executive director. "We look forward to a great competition with all of our talented school winners."

Poetry Out Loud begins at the classroom level. Winners advance to schoolwide competition, then to the state competition and ultimately to the national finals, April 28-30, in Washington, D.C. School winners who will compete to represent Kentucky in the national finals are:

    Michaela McCane, Franklin County High School
    Cheyenne Carter, Western Hills High School, Franklin County
    Amy MacAdams, Grant County High School
    Celeste Shearer, Hart County High School
    Gabby Thompson, Boyd County High School
    Katelyn Woodmansee, Allen County-Scottsville High School
    Miranda Webb, Pikeville High School, Pike County
    Kimberly Williamson, Pike County Central High School
    Madison Steffi Tackett, Shelby Valley High School, Pike County
    Eashwar Somasandaram, Belfry High School, Pike County
    Haley Sullivan, East Ridge High School, Pike County
    Haylee Stevens, Phelps Junior and Senior High School, Pike County
    Sierra Hatfield, Harlan County High School
    Jazmyne Lilly, Lone Oak High School, McCracken County
    Katelin Burchett, Heath High School, McCracken County
    Krista Roberts, Leslie County High School
    Skylar Lindsey, Reidland High School, McCracken County

The winner of the state finals receives $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip with an adult chaperone to Washington, D.C., to compete for the national championship. The state winner's school receives a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. The first runner-up receives $100, with $200 going to his or her school library.

Since starting in 2006, Poetry Out Loud has grown to more than 365,000 students competing in 2011-12. For a general overview of the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest visit www.poetryoutloud.org.