Ohio Student Competes at 2017 Poetry Out Loud National Finals April 27, 2017 Madeleine Schroeder, a senior at Columbus Alternative High School (CAHS), competed in the 2017 Poetry Out Loud (POL) National Finals at the Lisner Auditorium in Washington, D.C., on April 25. Schroeder competed against 52 students from across the United States, as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. She gave an impressive performance of “The Gaffe” by C.K. Williams and “Snow Day” by Billy Collins in the first two rounds. Although Madeline did not move on to the third round, her performance was commended by the OAC staff, as well as her family and friends. Due to her success at the Ohio POL State Finals, Schroeder was awarded a $300 prize and an all-expense-paid trip to represent her state in the national competition. This is the second time a student from CAHS, part of Columbus City Schools, has become state champion. The 2017 POL National Champion is Samara Elán Huggins of Georgia. Huggins received $20,000 in school stipends and awards for this championship. ABOUT POETRY OUT LOUD The nation's largest youth poetry recitation competition is presented by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation in partnership with the Ohio Arts Council. The Poetry Out Loud program encourages high school students to learn about great poetry, master public-speaking skills, build self-confidence, and study their literary heritage. ABOUT THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Connect with the OAC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or visit our website at oac.ohio.gov. ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts—both new and established—bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. ### Attached Files POL17 29.48 KB