This should be a fun night. Voice is so important in poetry, and I truly believe that poetry is meant to be read aloud, and not just exist on the page. Read all about it at the Poetry Out Loud website.

Nine Student Finalists to Compete for $50,000 in 2010 Poetry Out Loud National Finals
Award-winning actor John Leguizamo to host tonight’s competition

WASHINGTON, DC—Nine high school students will vie for the title of Poetry Out Loud National Champion and a $20,000 award, tonight at the Lisner Auditorium on the George Washington University campus in Washington, DC. The nine students advance from yesterday’s semifinal round of 53 students from every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and from a field of nearly 325,000 high school students who have competed in Poetry Out Loud contests in classrooms nationwide. A total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends for the purchase of poetry books will be given out on Tuesday night.

The nine finalists are:

Alabama State Champion Youssef Biaz (Auburn, AL)
Illinois State Champion Annette Putnam (Andover, IL)
Maryland State Champion Nora Sandler (Bethesda, MD)
Montana State Champion Diego Javier Steele (Lolo, MT)
Nevada State Champion Emily Orellana (Reno, NV)
Rhode Island State Champion Amber Rose Johnson (Providence, RI)
South Dakota State Champion Ruth Haile (Sioux Falls, SD)
Virginia State Champion Tia Robinson (Warsaw, VA)
Wisconsin State Champion Madeline Bunke (Brookfield, WI)

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Good luck everybody!