Kate Maerten, a 12th grader at Gerstell Academy in Frederick County, was selected as the Poetry Out Loud (POL) Maryland State champion on March 9th during state finals. She was among eight finalists who were selected from 25 Maryland students in eight counties that competed in the statewide competitions. The POL poetry recitation contest is co-sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and The Poetry Foundation, and administered by U.S. state arts agencies and regional organizations across the country. The Maryland POL competition is produced by the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC).
During the virtual competition, Maerten recited “Once the World Was Perfect” by Joy Harjo, “No, I wasn’t meant to love and be loved” by Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib, and “The Pull Toy” by A.E. Stallings.
Second place was awarded to Paula Yeboah, an 11th grader at Wilde Lake High School in Howard County, and third place went to Harrison Lynch, an 11th grader at The King’s Christian Academy in St. Mary’s County. The five remaining finalists were Aimee Pentermann (St. Mary’s County), Colin Benedict (Anne Arundel County), Ellie Heath (Anne Arundel County), Joseph Griffin (Howard County), and Katie Spencer (Anne Arundel County).
Participation in POL offers students the opportunity to learn about their literary heritage, build self-confidence, and improve their public speaking skills. The process begins in the fall when participating students select three eligible poems from the POL website, analyze and memorize them, and present the poems at their school competitions. In January and February, each school winner moves on to regionals and, in March, at the state finals competition, the participants are evaluated on physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, evidence of understanding, and overall performance.
“The dedication and preparation of all of this year’s competitors has been extraordinary, especially as they have navigated a fully virtual competition,” said MSAC Deputy Director Steven Skerritt-Davis. “We’ve been honored to witness the growth of these young Marylanders throughout the competition, and we thank the teachers and POL coaches for the invaluable guidance they have offered over the past several months.”
The Maryland State champion receives $1,200 in combined NEA and MSAC prize funds. The Maryland winner’s school receives a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials. The first runner-up receives $850 in combined NEA and MSAC prize funds, with $200 for their school library. At the National Finals, Poetry Out Loud awards a total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends with $20,000 awarded to the Poetry Out Loud National Champion.