Poetry Out Loud

Any school or homeschool group in North Dakota that includes students in grades 9 through 12 qualifies for POL. Public, private, alternative, and independent schools as well as homeschool groups or organizations and school-sponsored afterschool programs are encouraged to participate.

Poetry Out Loud provides free online curriculum materials, including an online poetry anthology, a comprehensive teacher’s guide, videos of student performances, lesson plans, and promotional and media resources at poetryoutloud.org.

After schools register with their state arts agency, teachers are sent an information packet and invited to access the online materials to use within their classrooms. Poetry Out Loud integrates with existing ELA curriculum, does not require full class periods, and can be completed in 2-3 weeks. Following classroom and/or school level competitions, school champions gather at the state Capitol in late February to compete at the North Dakota State Poetry Out Loud Finals Competition. The new ND State POL Champion then moves forward to the national finals which are held in Washington, DC, in late April or early May.

2024-25 POL Guide for Teachers and Organizers

While teachers, students, and poetry lovers everywhere can use this website and its free materials to organize their own contests, the official contest is limited to the programs run by each state’s arts agency.

*2024-25 POL SCHEDULE

• September 2024 - January 2025: Teachers weave POL into curriculum
• November 18, 2024: Deadline for School Registration
• December 11, 2024: Deadline for Poets in Schools Funding Requests
• January 27, 2025: Deadline to turn in POL participation list
• January 31, 2025: Deadline for School Competitions to be completed
• February 3, 2025: Deadline for submission of School Champion registration form to NDCA
• March 3, 2025: ND State POL Competition, ND State Heritage Center
• March 21, 2025: Deadline for state champs and chaperones to register for National Finals
• May 5-7, 2025: National POL Competition, Washington, DC

*Subject to revision

Poets in Schools brings the transformative beauty of poetry directly into classrooms and communities across the state. The grant program empowers schools to host practicing poets who actively engage with students, igniting their passion for poetry and self-expression. 

2024-25 Poets in Schools Application

Available Poets for 2024-25

GENERAL GUIDELINES:

North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA) offers a grant to support poet visits to schools that are registered in the Poetry Out Loud program.

*DEADLINE TO SUBMIT - December 11, 2024

ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS:

• Visits Schedule: All Poets in Schools visits must take place before January 31, 2025.
• Allocation and Maximum Request: Grants are allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis, with a maximum request limit of $2,000 per school.
• Extending Visit Time: If your school wishes to extend the time with the poet beyond the grant funds, you may do so using alternative funds. Refer to the fee scale below for details.
• Submission Deadline: Funding requests must be submitted no later than December 11, 2024. Late requests will not be considered.
• Definition of Poet Visits: Poet visits encompass in-person or online interactions with practicing poets who actively engage in the Poetry Out Loud (POL) Program. These visits may involve coaching small groups, individual student performances, exploring poetry, and delivering assembly-style performances to ignite enthusiasm.
• Fee Scale for Poet Visits (Negotiable):
  • Fee per one-hour, small group Coaching/Poetry Exploration Session: $350 per session, with a maximum of 6 sessions. Small groups may not exceed 35 students.
  • Fee per one-hour Assembly Performances: $600 per assembly, with a maximum of 2 performances.
• Additional Costs (Negotiable):
  • Travel: Reimbursed at the state rate of $0.67 per mile.
  • Meals: Provided at the state rate as needed (Breakfast - $13.00, Lunch - $15.00, Dinner - $26.00).
  • Lodging: As needed, at local rates.
• Payment to Poets: Schools will directly compensate poets following the completion of their event.
• Reimbursement Process: NDCA will award the granted amount to the school as reimbursement upon the completion of the proposed project, submission of required documentation, and the fulfillment of a full and complete Final Report.