North Sioux City's Own Grace Powell to Represent South Dakota at National Poetry Finals

Grace Powell, a senior at Dakota Valley High School in North Sioux City, South Dakota, will compete in the Poetry Out Loud National Finals. The event is scheduled for May 1-2, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Powell earned her spot by winning first place at the South Dakota state contest, receiving a $200 cash prize and $500 for her school's poetry programs.

The Poetry Out Loud program is organized by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and state arts agencies. It encourages high school students to appreciate poetry through recitation. This activity helps students improve their public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and deepen their understanding of literary works.

Powell will join 55 participants from various states and territories at the national finals. She is set to perform in the third semifinal round at 5 pm EDT on May 1. The top three from each regional semifinal will move on to the final round.

The final competition will occur on May 2 at 7 pm EDT, where the nine finalists will compete for a $20,000 prize. The event will be open to the public and streamed live online.

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