With the recitation of “Say Grace” by Emily Jungmin Yoon, Jennifer Shon, a junior at the Portsmouth Abbey School, won the 19th R.I. Poetry Out Loud State Finals, the Rhode State Council on the Arts announced today. Shon, who is from Seoul, Korea, will represent Rhode Island in the national competition in Washington, D.C., April 30 -May 2.
Kylie Tiemeyer, of Classical High School, Providence, placed second, and Regan Clark, of Charlestown, Chariho Regional High School, was third. Honorable mentions went to Zoey Evora of East Providence High School, East Providence, and Jayden Wirawan of Central High School, Providence.
“On behalf of RISCA, congratulations to Jennifer Shon, and we wish her the best of luck in the national competition at the end of April. Also, thank you all the Poetry Out Loud participants for all their hard work and hours of preparation.” said Lynne McCormack, Executive Director of RISCA. “RISCA is proud to be a long-time partner of the NEA as well as the Poetry Foundation’s arts education program, which inspires a life-long appreciation of great classic and contemporary poetry.”
List of Competitors
| School Name | Student Name | City/Town |
| Bishop Hendricken High School | Zachary Young | Warwick |
| Central High School | Jaydan CokordaMatthew Winawan, Honorable Mention | Providence |
| Central Falls High School | Valeria Rosado Vega | Central Falls |
| Chariho Regional High School | Regan Clark, 3rd place | Charlestown |
| Classical High School | Kylie Tiemeyer, 2nd place | Providence |
| Cranston High School West | Siranoushn Sahakian | Cranston |
| Johnston High School | Sabastiana Lux Hernandez | Johnston |
| La Salle Academy | Claire Fitzgerald | Warwick |
| Portsmouth Abbey School | Jennifer Shon, R.I. Champion | Portsmouth (Seoul, Korea) |
| Providence Country Day School | Mays Miller | Little Compton |
| St Patrick Academy | Karin Asare | Pawtucket |
| William M. Davies Career & Technical High School | Gabriel Vargas | Pawtucket |
| East Providence High School | Zoey Evora, Honorable Mention | East Providence |
More than 1,400 students representing 32 schools from around the state, competed in the arts education competition on March 10 at the Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich. Before the championship, the competitors spent most of the school year studying poetry through learning, memorization, and performance.
A special thank you to Lauren Miller, NEA Program Manager, Literary Arts and Arts Education Division, who attended the Poetry Out Loud R.I. competition, and Former State Poet Laureate Tina Cane, who gave of her time as guest poet.
Much Appreciation goes to the judges, Jennifer Davis Allison, Jonathan Pitts-Wiley, and Cathren Housley, and to Linda D’Ambra, Ellen House, Amy Clarke, and Sue Bruce for their accuracy and tabulation support. The Poetry Out Loud staff was Kate Lohman, Patricia Tilly Hawkridge, Damont Combs, and Martha Lenihan Lavieri. Thank you to the Greenwich Odeum, R.I. Center for the Book, and Providence Athanaeum.
Background on Poetry Out Loud
Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to a schoolwide competition, then to the state championships, and ultimately to the national finals in Washington, DC. Since its inception, 3.6 million students from 14,000 high schools nationwide have participated in Poetry Out Loud.
The Poetry Out Loud Rhode Island finals winner receives $200, and the winner’s school receives a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials. The first runner-up will receive $100, with $200 for his or her school library. The finals will present a total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends, with a $20,000 award for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion.