Archive
2011 Arizona Poetry Out Loud
Arizona Poetry Out Loud continued to grow in 2011 with the introduction of regional competitions. Over 80 students, two from each participating high school, advanced to their regional competition where the top three students from each region were selected to compete in the state finals. A total of nine students competed at the 2011 Arizona Poetry Out Loud State Finals, which were hosted by Eight, Arizona PBS and filmed for later broadcast.
2011 State Champion: Steffi McNerney, St. Gregory College Preparatory High School, Tucson
Poems Recited: “The Days Gone By” by James Whitcomb Riley; “The Uniform” by Marvin Bell; “The Meaning of the Shovel” by Martin Espada
Interview with the 2011 State Champion
2011 State Runner-Up: Naomi Blackwell, Tucson High Magnet School, Tucson
Poems Recited: “Alone” by Edgar Allan Poe; “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen; “Richard Cory” by Edwin Arlington Robinson
2011 State Finals Judges: Alberto Rios, Beth Staples, Christopher Lane, Logan Phillips, Robert X. Planet
Eight, Arizona PBS State Finals Video and Student Interviews
Photographs from the 2011 State Finals
2011 Poetry Out Loud State Finals Program 408 KB PDF
Central Region Competition Program
Northern Region Competition Program
Southern Region Competition Program
2010 Arizona Poetry Out Loud
The 2010 season of Poetry Out Loud reached over 11,000 Arizona high school students and teachers, in cities and communities across the state from Kingman to Nogales. 23 student finalists competed in the 2010 Arizona Poetry Out Loud State Semifinals, eight of whom advanced to the Finals round.
2010 State Champion: Elizabeth Andronic; Centennial High School, Peoria
Poems Recited: “I Am!” by John Clare; “Hate Poem” by Julie Sheehan; “the mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks
Interview with 2010 State Champion
2010 State Runner-Up: Kate Nienhauser; BASIS Scottsdale High School, Scottsdale
Poems Recited: “Litany” by Billy Collins; “War is Kind ['Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind']” by Stephen Crane; “Fishing” by A.E. Stallings
2010 State Finals Judges: Rae Paris, Jose Quintero, Alberto Rios, Eva Valencia
Photographs from the 2010 State Finals
2010 Poetry Out Loud State Finals Program 447 KB PDF
2009 Arizona Poetry Out Loud
Sixteen students from across Arizona represented their high schools at the 2009 State Finals. Hosted in conjunction with the ASU’s Desert Nights Rising Stars conference, this event brought students together for two days of poetry, competition and camaraderie.
2009 State Champion: Erik Hollis; Tucson Magnet High School, Tucson
Poems Recited: “The Bad Old Days” by Kenneth Rexroth; “I Grant You Ample Leave” by George Eliot
2009 State Runner-Up: Lilah Rose Edwards; Sedona Red Rock High School, Sedona
Poems Recited: “Madmen” by Billy Collins; “I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died” by Emily Dickinson
2009 State Finals Judges: Teniqua Broughton, Tania Katan, Myrlin Hepworth
