(RED BANK / MARCH 15, 2024): Lucas Wilson, a senior from Red Bank Regional High School in Red Bank, was named State Champion at the 2024 New Jersey Poetry Out Loud State Finals, part of the National Poetry Out Loud recitation program. The adjudication took place on March 14th at Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ.

Lucas Wilson will represent New Jersey at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington D.C. from April 30th – May 2, 2024. State Champions will compete for the national Poetry Out Loud title and the chance to win prizes, including $20,000 in college scholarships.

Amya Martinez, a senior from North Star Academy Washington Park in Newark, earned the title of State Runner-Up.

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.3 million students and 76,000 teachers from 19,000 schools and organizations across the nation have participated in Poetry Out Loud. Poetry Out Loud is a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and the 55 state and jurisdictional arts agencies.

“As presenting partner in New Jersey’s Poetry Out Loud competition, more than 69 schools and other organizations have become active participants in the program,” said Adam Philipson, President & CEO, Count Basie Center for the Arts. “It has been a pleasure to host this year’s finalists from across the great Garden State, and we look forward to watching Lucas Wilson represent the Garden State at this year’s national Poetry Out Loud competition in May.”

The State Finals was the culmination of a statewide initiative that began in the fall of 2023 and included 10,587 New Jersey students from 69 high schools and organizations across the state.

“The State Arts Council is extremely proud of all the students who participated in this year’s Poetry Out Loud Program and grateful to the many educators and caregivers who supported the students throughout the year,” said Allison Tratner, Executive Director of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. “Their passion for and dedication to poetry is one of the reasons New Jersey consistently ranks amongst the top in the nation for participation in this national program. We know that Lucas will make New Jersey proud as they represent us in Washington D.C. in May.”

Congratulations to all who participated, including State Finalists:

• Kailan Cass-Adams-Johnson, from Mainland Regional High School in Linwood
• Nay’Quan Coriano, from Cumberland County Technical Education Center in Vineland
• Gianna Escobar, from Union County Vo-tech High School in Scotch Plains
• Michaela Giuliani, from Vineland High School in Vineland
• Elicia Johnson, from South River High School in South River
• Yumna Juha, from Montgomery High School in Skillman
• Amya Martinez, from North Star Academy Washington Park in Newark
• Sophia Padilla, from The Morris County School of Technology in Denville
• Leah Seche, from Doane Academy in Burlington
• Dhriti Somas, from Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan in Demarest
• Nola Walker, from Henry Snyder High School in Jersey City
• Lucas Wilson, from Red Bank Regional High School in Little Silver

For more information about New Jersey Poetry Out Loud and the National Finals, visit www.njpol.org. A video of the New Jersey Poetry Out Loud State Finals will be posted on NJPOL’s YouTube page in the coming weeks.

ABOUT THE COUNT BASIE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The Count Basie Center for the Arts is New Jersey’s premier center for the cultural arts, dedicated to fostering powerful, inclusive artistic experiences and creative exchange of ideas. The Basie mission is to inspire, educate and entertain through its distinct and engaging cultural and artistic offerings that embrace and amplify the diversity of the region. As a nonprofit organization, the Basie is committed to enriching the community’s quality of life by generating opportunities for participation in the arts, partnering with schools, collaborating with other mission-based organizations and driving regional economic prosperity.

ABOUT THE NEW JERSEY STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, created in 1966, is a division of the NJ Department of State and a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. The Council was established to encourage and foster public interest in the arts; enlarge public and private resources devoted to the arts; promote freedom of expression in the arts; and facilitate the inclusion of art in every public building in New Jersey. The Council believes the arts are central to every element we value most in a modern society including: human understanding; cultural and civic pride; strong communities; excellent schools; lifelong learning; creative expression; and economic opportunity. To learn more about the Council, please visit www.artscouncil.nj.gov.

 

ABOUT NEW JERSEY POETRY OUT LOUD

New Jersey Poetry Out Loud is a project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the Count Basie Center for the Arts. Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program, led by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, in partnership with the state and jurisdictional arts agencies across the country. In New Jersey, the State Arts Council and the Basie work with a growing network of regional partners to implement the program statewide.