Greenville 9th grader is S.C. Poetry Out Loud champ
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Greenville High School 9th grade student Emily Allison is the 2021 South Carolina Poetry Out Loud champion after winning the annual recitation contest’s first virtual competition.
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Emily Allison[/caption]
Allison’s body of work earned her first prize over seven other finalists in her first experience with the competition. In lieu of the usual in-person state final competition, each finalist was recorded reciting three poems via a video conference with Poetry Out Loud State Coordinator
Bonita Peeples and prompter
Thomas Maluck, teen services librarian for Richland Library. The videos were sent to the four judges and an accuracy judge.
After two rounds of evaluation, the top three scorers proceeded to the final round. They were: Allison;
Teagan Domm, a junior at Academy Magnet High School in Charleston; and
Caleb Xiao, sophomore at Spartanburg Day School who was first runner-up.
The South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC)
coordinates Poetry Out Loud in South Carolina, partnering with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation to bring the competition to the state’s high schools.
Poetry Out Loud looked different in the 2020/2021 school year out of necessity. Peeples arranged a competition with a different structure for students in grades 9-12. Participants across the state submitted videos that were judged in twin regional competitions
that yielded eight finalists, one of whom was Allison.
As state winner, Allison will receive a $200 prize and get to represent South Carolina in the national finals competition for the chance to win the $20,000 first prize. The 2021 national finals will also be held virtually. A semi-final round is scheduled for Sunday, May 2 and the national finals will take place Thursday, May 27.
Both will stream on arts.gov, website of the National Endowment for the Arts.
Al Black, poet and arts advocate;
Ray McManus, English professor at UofSC Sumter;
Michele Reese, English professor at UofSC Sumter;
Kimberly J. Simms, author and educator, served as judges. Each is an accomplished poet residing in South Carolina dedicated to training the next generation of poets. The SCAC’s
Kevin Flarisee of Columbia was accuracy judge.
About Poetry Out Loud
Now in its 15th year,
Poetry Out Loud helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation in 2005,
Poetry Out Loud is administered in partnership with the State arts agencies in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.
Poetry Out Loud offers more than $100,000 is prizes and school stipends each year. It provides free teacher resources and a comprehensive website with a large anthology of classic and contemporary poems, audio and video clips, as well as complete contest information.
Since its establishment in 2005,
Poetry Out Loud has grown to reach more than 4 million students and 65,000 teachers from 16,000 schools. For more information, visit
PoetryOutLoud.org.
About the South Carolina Arts Commission
The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is to promote equitable access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina. We envision a South Carolina where the arts are valued and all people benefit from a variety of creative experiences.
A state agency created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the SCAC works to increase public participation in the arts by providing grants, direct programs, staff assistance and partnerships in three key areas: arts education, community arts development, and artist development. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the SCAC is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts, and other sources. Visit
SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696, and follow @scartscomm on social media.
Dr. Fauci will provide opening remarks at this free event that will be held on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 from 3-4:00 p.m. ET. Those interested in attending should register here.
Acting Chairman of the Arts Endowment Ann Eilers said, “The National Endowment for the Arts is honored to have Dr. Fauci participate in the agency’s The Art of Reopening webinar. His expertise, commitment, and compassion have been critical to the nation’s ability to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. His guidance will remain of the utmost importance in our continued progress in the country and towards full reengagement with the arts and audiences."
The event is based in part on the NEA’s report The Art of Reopening: A Guide to Current Practices Among Arts Organizations During COVID-19 that was published in January 2021. The report examines reopening practices of organizations that resumed in-person programming in 2020 and presents promising tactics and nine case studies. Three of the organizations featured as case studies will be represented on a panel moderated by Sunil Iyengar, director of the Arts Endowment’s Office of Research & Analysis.
The panelists are:
The S.C. Arts Commission (SCAC) 
The NEA Big Read is a community engagement opportunity with grants of up to $20,000 for community-wide reading programs (virtual and/or in-person). Organizations can choose 
