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Arts Commission News

Student from Washington School in Greenville wins Poetry Out Loud State Competition

DATE:            Marck 11 , 2008

CONTACT:     Susan Dobbs, MAC Public Relations Director, 601/359-6030, sdobbs@arts.state.ms.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

JACKSON - The Mississippi Arts Commission is proud to announce that Grant Cochran from Washington School in Greenville was the winner of the State Finals of the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest.  The competition, presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program to encourage high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance and competition.   Grant will be representing Mississippi at the National Finals in Washington D.C. on April 29, 2008.

Grant performed outstanding recitations of “Progressive Health” by Carl Dennis and “Poor Angels” by Edward Hirsch, at the statewide competition held on Friday, March 7, 2008 at New Stage Theatre in Jackson.  In the final round, Grant recited “A Satirical Elegy on the Death of a late Famous General” by Jonathan Swift.  Grant, a senior at Washington School, is active in the Student Council, the theatre group, and several civic organizations.  His accomplishments include starring in the fall play, “Hamlet,” starring in the senior musical, “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” acting as president of Mu Alpha Theta, and he was recently named a National Merit Finalist.   

The runner-up this year was Shaniqua Wesley of Water Valley High School who recited and “Still I Rise,” by Maya Angelou and “Siren Song,” by Margaret Atwood.  In the final round Shaniqua recited “Oh Hope! Though Soother Sweet of Human Woes,” by Charlotte Smith.  She is a junior at Water Valley High School and enjoys writing poetry, singing, reading and acting. 

The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, bringing arts to all Americans and providing leadership in arts education.  Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the largest national funding organization of the arts.

The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture.  One of the largest literary organizations in the world, it exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience.

The Mississippi Arts Commission is a state agency, funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Wallace Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, The Phil Hardin Foundation, Donna & Jim Barksdale and other private sources.  MAC is the official grants-making and service agency for the arts in Mississippi. The agency serves as an active supporter and promoter of arts in community life and in arts education.

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