A Cincinnati high school student flexed her vocal muscles last week, besting a field of orators from across the state to earn the title of Ohio’s 2024 Poetry Out Loud champion.
Amanda Braig – a senior at McNicholas High School – outlasted eight other youth orators during the three-round poetry reading competition in Columbus on Feb. 9. Her winning performance included the poems “All This and More” by Mary Karr, “Amor Mundi” by Christina Rossetti and “Self-Inquiry Before the Job Interview” by Gary Soto.
This was Braig’s second straight year in the state finals. She finished third in 2023.
For winning, Braig took home a $200 top prize. Her school library also received $500 to support future learning. But beyond the cash award, Braig also earned the chance to represent Ohio at the upcoming POL National Finals in Washington, D.C.
From April 30 to May 2, she’ll take on students from all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. The national champion wins a grand prize of $20,000. The total prize pool is $50,000.
“It was another outstanding state finals, with Ohio’s students once again delivering exemplary performances,” said Donna S. Collins, executive director of Ohio Arts Council, the event host. The state agency that funds and supports arts experiences to strengthen communities culturally, educationally and economically.
“The OAC is proud to support arts education through Poetry Out Loud and looks forward to supporting Amanda as she prepares for and performs at the national competition,” Collins continued.
State well represented
Poetry Out Loud is an annual competition created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. It aims to encourage students to learn about poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about literary heritage.
Administration of the contest takes place in partnership with the state arts agencies across the country. Poetry Out Loud activities aligned with Common Core and National Council of Teachers of English standards.
The competition consists of a series of regional and state-level competitions before ending in a national championship. Ohio has six regions, all of which had representation at the state finals. Braig won the Cincinnati/Southwest region in December.
Joining Braig in Ohio’s top three this year were River Valley (Bidwell) freshman Daphne McCombs and Upper Arlington senior Tori Negroni, who finished second and third, respectively.
In recognition of their achievements, each of the top three finalists received a work of art made by Zanesville photographer Jana Pryor, which incorporated poetry by the evening’s four guest poets: Mary Ruth C. Kamp, Jacqueline Wilkinson-Johnson, Kimberly Bolden and Wendy McVicker.
Houda Loukssi, a junior from Xenia High School near Dayton, was a finalist this year as well.
OAC board member Peter Lawson Jones emceed the evening event, held in WOSU Public Media’s Ross Community Studio. The judges were poets Susann Moeller, Terry Hermsen and Cynthia Amoah.
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