NEW JERSEY
WRITERS PROJECTIf you are interested in finding out more about the Poetry Out Loud residency program contact: Alysia Souder, at (973) 514-1787 ext. 15
ONLINE APPLICATION
NEW JERSEY POETRY OUT LOUD RESIDENCY PROGRAMGENERAL INFORMATION
Poetry Out Loud (POL) is a national program created by the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) which partners with State Arts Agencies to bring the art of poetry recitation to high schools across the country. NJ's POL RESIDENCY PROGRAM, a partnership between Playwrights Theatre and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA), places artists in the schools to provide students and teachers with an eight-day experience in poetry and performance.
The hands-on, process- based arts residencies make a significant impact on the way students comprehend and relate to poetry. Teachers and students have raved about how the program's innovative structure has impacted students' academic achievement in Language Arts, improved public speaking and presentation skills while increasing self confidence and building community in the classroom. POL RESIDENCY schools receive six days of arts workshops, three days with a poet followed by three days with a performance artist. The residency will directly serve up to three classrooms and approximately 75 students. The program concludes with two levels of competition at the school, the first being a series of classroom contests and winners go onto to the School Wide Competition. Winning represent their school at the Regional Competition and if successful proceed to the State Competition. Only one student will be selected to represent NJ at the National Competition in Washington DC.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
(Entire program is to be completed by February 15, 2008)
Criteria Checklist:
Participation from three classes (20-25 students each) in the eight-day residency program. Each class should be available to meet for 80 minute sessions per day or for a total of 9 hours over the eight days per class
· A Planning Meeting prior to the start of the residency will bring the artists to the school to meet with the administration and the participating teachers to confirm roles and responsibilities, scheduling, and residency details to ensure a smooth and productive program.
· A hands-on Artist Workshop for Teachers with the staff will reinforce the value of the creative process; provide a forum for discussion and feedback; and will be a resource for continuing to integrate the residency, the school curriculum, and the teachers' individual classroom goals.
· That participating teachers fully support the residency, willing to integrate the residency with their curriculum, and be committed to building upon the skills introduced by the teaching artists in preparing their students for the contest portions of the program.
With the poet:: Three days with a poet who meets with three classes (80 minutes each) per day to develop a stronger foundation in poetry and gain an understanding of its reflection of culture and its impact on society. Students will be exposed to classic and modern poets and poems and will explore their various forms and styles. Students will be led through a series of reading and writing exercises and will grow to understand the importance of figurative language, connotation, imagery, rhythm and symbolism in interpreting poems. Poetic elements of characterization, point of view, plot, setting and theme will also be discussed and explored.
With the Performance Artist: Three days with a poet who meets with three classes (80 minutes each) per day teaches students how to use the "Tools of the Actor"—voice, body, emotions and imagination and get their chosen piece "up on its feet". Working with experienced performance poets and actors, students build confidence as they learn new methods of expressing themselves and expressing the sentiments of the poem they will present. Students practice projection, rhythm, and diction while finding the power and importance of their individual voice and the voice of the poet whose piece they will perform.
Classroom Competitions: The residency portion concludes with individual classroom competitions on the seventh day of the residency. Both the Poet and the Performance Artist participate in coaching students through their presentations and helping to choose the winners of each classroom's contest. These students will go on to participate in the school-wide contest.
School Contest: The school will organize and conduct a School-Wide Poetry Recitation Contest. The Poet and the Performance Artist will return as guest judges and work with judges from the school to decide which students will go on to represent the school in the Regional Competition. This event will engage the entire school community in the excitement of language, performance and reinforce the value of individual and collective "voice".
Regional Contest: Will bring winning students together from all participating schools in the designated region to determine the individuals who will represent that region at the State Contest.
The State Contest: The State Contest will bring the Champions together to determine the New Jersey POL State Champion. The State Champion will receive $200 and an expense paid trip (with a chaperone) to compete for the national championship held in Washington D.C. in April 2007. The state winner's school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. A total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends will be awarded to winners at the National Finals.
