Poetry Out Loud: Program Materials & Schedule
Poetry Out Loud: Program Materials & Schedule
Poetry Out Loud curriculum materials include:
- an official poetry anthology
- teacher preparation
- lessons plans
- videos of student performances
- resources for classroom and school-wide contests
2022 Illinois Poetry Out Loud Regional Contest Schedule
Region #1 – Southern Illinois
Contest Date: TBD
Contest Start Time: TBD
Contest Location: TBD
For more information contact: Hilary Chandler, hchandler@carbondalearts.org
Region #2 Southwestern, South Central Illinois
Contact Date: February 10, 2022
Contest Start Time: 4:00 PM
Contest Location: Schmidt Art Center, SWIC Belleville Campus, 2500 Carlyle
Ave., Belleville
For more information contact: Amy Brockman, Amy.Brockman@swic.edu
Region #3 Central Illinois
Contest Date: February 10, 2022
Contest Start Time: 4:00 PM
Contest Location: Theatre Three, Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 S.
Sixth Street, Springfield, IL
For more information contact: Sheila Walk, programs@springfieldartsco.org
Region #4 Eastern Illinois
Contest Date: TBD
Contest Start Time: TBD
Contest Location: TBD
For more information contact: Kelly White, kwhite@40north.org
Region #5 Western Illinois
Contest Date: TBD)
Contest Start Time: TBD
Contest Location: TBD
For more information contact: Tracy Alan White,
tracyalanwhite@gmail.com
Region #6 Northern Illinois
Contest Date: February 15, 2022
Contest Start Time: 6:00 PM
Contest Location: Nordlof Center, Rockford, IL
For more information contact: Mary McNamara Bernsten, mary@artsforeveryone.com
Region #7 Chicagoland – Schools in Chicago only
Contest Date: February 9, 2022 (tentative)
Contest Start Time: TBD
Contest Location: The Poetry Foundation, 61 W. Superior St., Chicago
For more information contact: Timothy David Rey,timothy@poetrycenter.org
Region #7 Chicagoland – Chicago Metro Area - Suburban schools (outside of Chicago) only
Contact Date: February 17, 2022 (tentative)
Contest Start Time: TBD
Contest Location: The Poetry Foundation, 61 W. Superior St., Chicago
For more information contact: Timothy David Rey, timothy@poetrycenter.org
Statewide Illinois POL Contest
Contest Date: March 7, 2022
Contest Start Time: 10:00 am
Contest Location: Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 S. Sixth St, Springfield
For more information contact: Sheila Walk, programs@springfieldartsco.org
TYPICAL YEARLY POETRY OUT LOUD SCHEDULE
Typically, all Illinois regional Poetry Out Loud contests are held throughout the month of February. The Illinois state contest is held in early March.
The national contest is held in Washington, D.C. The 2022 national POL contest is scheduled for April 25 – 27. The Illinois state contest winner must register to participate in the national POL contest by mid-March. Exact date for national contest registration will be provided to the Illinois state contest winner after the state contest concludes.
Teachers and students should plan on spending approximately three weeks on the POL curriculum materials and preparing for their school’s contest. Consider the timing of the regional contest for your school when planning the introduction of the POL curriculum and scheduling a school contest.
Students must participate in a school-level contest prior to competing in a regional contest. All regional contests require that schools register with the regional POL coordinator, the name of their school’s contest winner and the poems to be recited.
The POL Teacher’s Guide and list of approved poems is posted on the official Poetry Out Loud website, www.poetryoutloud.org. Teacher’s Guides are updated annually. Reviewing the Teacher’s Guide from a previous year should provide a good understanding of how to plan using Poetry Out Loud in the classroom and how to organize a classroom and/or school contest. A small number of hard copies of the up-to-date POL Teacher’s Guide are available each year. If interested in obtaining one, please contact the POL Regional Coordinator for your area.