Hillsboro High School sophomore, Kate Holthe, recently achieved impressive results in Poetry Out Loud, a national program that celebrates the art of poetry recitation. After winning the Capital Conference Competition in February, Kate went on to compete against the top high school performers in the Wisconsin State Finals held at the MYArts Center in Madison this past weekend.
Poetry Out Loud was established by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, with the aim to engage high school students with the beauty and power of poetry. At the heart of the program is a dynamic recitation competition. Students memorize and perform poems chosen from a vast catalog spanning classic and contemporary works. The process fosters a deeper appreciation of the diversity of the form by exploring a wide range of works, and students gain a broader understanding of literary history and how poetry can uniquely reflect themes relevant to contemporary life.
This year, over 2,400 Wisconsin high school students participated in Poetry Out Loud. Kate's success, reaching the top eight in the state finals, is a remarkable achievement. Her carefully chosen poems – "Truth is I would like to escape myself" by Nour Al Ghraowi, "Grief" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and "Bereavement" by William Lisle Bowles showcased both her literary taste and performance skills.
Kate's accomplishment is a testament to her talent, and a program that empowers students to develop their voices, both literally and figuratively, and fosters a lifelong love for the art of poetry.