Georgia Council for the Arts Announces 2015 Poetry Out Loud Champion

Georgia state logo ATLANTA, April 1, 2015 — The Georgia Department of Economic Development's Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) announced the state winner of this year's Poetry Out Loud competition. Poetry Out Loud is a national program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation that encourages high school students to learn about poetry through memorization and recitation of the written word. Paris Stroud, a senior at Paulding County High School in Dallas, Ga., took home the first place prize at the 2015 Georgia state finals and will represent Georgia in Washington, D.C. at the national finals on April 28‐29, 2015. "I'm so proud and honored to represent Georgia at Nationals,' said Stroud. 'No matter what, I want to give it my all in the National competition without any regrets. This entire experience has been one I could never have expected, but now I can't imagine myself without. ' 'All of us at Georgia Council for the Arts extend our most heartfelt congratulations to Paris Stroud, our state champion, and to all of the Georgia high school students that participated in Poetry Out Loud throughout the state.   Each participating student exercised incredible discipline and commitment to prepare for the competition at every level.  In return, Poetry Out Loud offers students the opportunity to delve into great works of poetry, learn public speaking skills, engage in the creative process and bolsters confidence,' said Karen Paty, executive director of Georgia Council for the Arts. 'We believe strongly in the role of the arts in educating our youth to prepare them for success in the rest of their lives.  Thanks to a valued partnership with the NEA and the Atlanta History Center, we are able to run this program statewide and reach thousands of students – providing them with an additional high quality arts education experience.' Georgia's Poetry Out Loud champion, Paris Stroud will receive $200 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Her school will also be presented with a $500 certificate that will go towards new books. The Poetry Out Loud runner-up, Samara Huggins, a sophomore at Whitefield Academy in Mableton, Ga., will receive $100 from the NEA, and $200 to go towards books for her school. Poetry Out Loud, which began in 2005 as a pilot program in Chicago and Washington, D.C, has grown to involve millions of students across the country. This is the seventh year the Atlanta History Center's Margaret Mitchell House has been selected to coordinate Poetry Out Loud by the Georgia Council for the Arts. Georgia's participation includes:

  • 74 schools from around the state
  • Over 9,000 students
  • More than 100 teachers
  • 37 counties around the state

'Poetry Out Loud complements the literary programming offered at the Atlanta History Center's Margaret Mitchell House, which includes bestselling author talks, summer writing camps for youth, and a daily visitor experience dedicated to promoting the legacy of Margaret Mitchell,' said Emily Reece POL State Coordinator at the Atlanta History Center. 'There is a natural synergy between the museum and Poetry Out Loud, to encourage literacy and stimulate a greater comprehension of literature. Hand in hand we promote the world of Arts to high school minds across the state of Georgia.' If your school would like to get involved with Poetry Out Loud, please contact Emily Reece at [email protected] or call 404.814.4017.  For more information about Poetry Out Loud, please visit www.MargaretMitchellHouse.com/POL. About Georgia Council for the Arts Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) is a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development whose mission is to cultivate the growth of vibrant, thriving Georgia communities through the arts.  GCA provides grant funding, programs and services statewide that support the vital arts industry, preserve the state's cultural heritage, increase tourism and nurture strong communities.  Funding for Georgia Council for the Arts is provided by appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts. About the Atlanta History Center and the Margaret Mitchell House Founded in 1926, the Atlanta History Center is an all-inclusive, thirty-three-acre destination featuring the Atlanta History Museum, one of the nation's largest history museums; two historic houses, the 1928 Swan House and the 1860 Smith Family Farm; the Centennial Olympic Games Museum; the Kenan Research Center; the Grand Overlook event space; Chick-Fil-A at the Coca-Cola Café, a museum shop, and the Goizuetta Gardens, featuring 22 acres of gardens, walkways, paths and trails. In addition, the History Center operates the Margaret Mitchell House located in Midtown Atlanta. For information on Atlanta History Center offerings, hours of operation and admission call 404.814.4000 or visit AtlantaHistoryCenter.com.