AUGUSTA — Maine Arts Commission has announced that the 2012-13 Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest is set to begin in high schools across the state in the coming months. Schools wishing to participate should visit MaineArts.com for details.

MAC is working with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation to organize a state competition that begins at the classroom level and culminates at the Maine finals. Here one student is chosen to represent Maine at the national finals in Washington,

D.C.

“Poetry Out Loud is now in its eighth year and continues to grow in popularity here in Maine, MAC Executive Director Julie Richard said in a news release. “The agency has experienced an incredible increase in the number of participating schools over the years. We expect to have at least 50 schools and 10,000 students competing this year across the state.”

The Maine state champion will be awarded $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip with an adult chaperone to Washington, D.C., to compete for the national championship in April 2013. The state winner’s school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books.

Participants at the national level will be awarded a total of $50,000 in cash and school stipends; a $20,000 award will be presented to the Poetry Out Loud National Champion.

The program was created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation as a way to foster the next generation of literary readers by capitalizing on the latest trends in poetry — recitation and performance, a news release said. Poetry Out Loud invites the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word and theater into the English class. Through Poetry Out Loud, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage.

Schools participating in the Poetry Out Loud program are provided with curriculum materials that include poetry anthologies, DVDs and CDs. The program does not require full class periods and can be completed in two to three weeks. MAC provides guidance throughout the process and houses all the required materials on its website at MaineArts.com.

Teachers can register their school online.

For more information, contact Meagan Mattingly at 287- 2790 or Meagan.mattingly@ maine.gov.