2016 Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest: Thomas Ellison May 6, 2016 2016 Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest: Thomas Ellison COLUMBUS, Ohio— Thomas Ellison, a senior at Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School in Dayton, competed at the 2016 Poetry Out Loud (POL) National Recitation Contest at the Lisner Auditorium in Washington, D.C., on May 3. 2016 Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest: Thomas Ellison Columbus, Ohio— Thomas Ellison, a senior at Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School in Dayton, competed at the 2016 Poetry Out Loud (POL) National Recitation Contest at the Lisner Auditorium in Washington, D.C., on May 3. He finished as a National Finalist in the first rou Ellison competed against 52 students at the POL national competition this year. Although he did not place to move on to the second portion of the competition, he gave a powerful performance of “The Delta” by Bruce Bond. His second poem was the humorous "Translations from the English" by George Starbuck. Thanks to his success at the 2016 Poetry Out Loud State Finals in Columbus at COSI@WOSU on March 19, Ellison was awarded a $300 prize, a trip to Washington, D.C., for the national competition, and $500 for his school library for the purchase of poetry books. In preparation for the competition, Ellison was coached by POL-affiliated Columbus poet, Rose Smith; University of Dayton professor emeritus and nationally known poet Dr. Herbert Woodward Martin; and Ellison’s English teacher, Jim Brooks. The winner of the 2016 Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Competition was Akhei Togun, a senior at Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach, Va. Togun Received $20,000 in school steipends and awards for his championship. ABOUT POETRY OUT LOUD The nation's largest youth poetry recitation competition is presented by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation in partnership with the Ohio Arts Council. The Poetry Out Loud program encourages high school students to learn about great poetry, master public-speaking skills, build self-confidence, and study their literary heritage. ABOUT THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Connect with the OAC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or visit our website at oac.ohio.gov. ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts—both new and established—bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. ###