UPDATE 3/13/20:
CARSON CITY, Nevada – The Nevada Poetry Out Loud State Finals, scheduled for Saturday at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in Reno, has been canceled by the Nevada Arts Council as a precautionary step in the corona virus crisis.
The 15th annual event was to feature the top 6 poets from Nevada high schools competing for the chance to represent the state at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in April in Washington, D.C.
Nevada Arts Council Executive Director Tony Manfredi said an alternative competition involving the students performing their poems via video is being considered to determine the state champion. A final decision will be made in the days ahead.
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CARSON CITY – More than 4,400 Nevada high school students have been narrowed to the final six who will compete this coming Saturday for the title of Nevada Poetry Out Loud Champion.
The annual competition is free and open to the public. It will be held at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in Reno. The competition starts at noon.
Watch it online here: https://youtu.be/YBjHNsIXa6A.
“We are thrilled to be celebrating 15 years of Poetry Out Loud – a program encouraging Nevada students in grades 9 through 12 to learn about poetry through memorization and performance while building self-confidence, public speaking skills and a love of the written and spoken word,” said Tony Manfredi, executive director of the Nevada Arts Council.
This year’s finalists are:
- Aylin Mendoza, Senior, East Career and Technical Academy, representing Clark County
- Lara Cassity, senior, Douglas High School, representing Douglas County
- Soledad Negrete, Senior, Elko High School, representing Elko County
- Whitney Hegstad, freshman, Yerington High School, representing Lyon County
- Anastasia Chevalier, sophomore, Virginia City High School, representing Storey County
- Eakjot Sekhorn, Sophomore, Robert McQueen High School, representing Washoe County
Image: 2016 Poetry Out Loud winner Mikayla Bates, Elko.
