Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission is pleased to announce that Khadija Ceesay is the 2019 Poetry Out Loud State Champion.

High school students from across the state competed for the title of Kansas Poetry Out Loud champion March 2, 2019 earning the right to represent the state at the National Poetry Out Loud contest in Washington D.C. April 29- May 1. Held at Salina South High School, students presented three memorized poems taken from an anthology of almost 1000 poems ranging from the classics to contemporary.

Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation and the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, more than 1,400 Kansas students first competed at the school level before moving into regional competitions, with eight students advancing to the state finals. Khadija Ceesay, a senior from Olathe South High School was named Kansas 2019 Poetry Out Loud Champion with Santiago Vasquez, Salina South High School receiving runner-up. Jenna McCarty from Blue Valley High School received second runner-up.

Other students competing were Wichita North HS student Ciera Fralin-Moore; Sarah Oliver of Wichita Heights HS; Tipton Catholic HS student Brynna Allen; Salsabila Attaria of Wichita East HS; and Girard HS student Noah Sandford.

To Learn More about Poetry Out Loud, visit https://www.kansascommerce.gov/about-us/commissions-partners/creative-arts-industries-commission/poetry-out-loud/ 

Do you know of an ELA "bright spot" in your school community? Nominate someone (or yourself!) to be highlighted here by contacting Sarah Perryman at sperryman@ksde.org.