Bethany High School student wins Poetry Out Loud state title

Piper Lloyd, a high school student from Bethany, has won the title of 2020 Poetry Out Loud Oklahoma State Champion.

Oklahoma A+ Schools Institute at the University of Central Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Arts Council hosted the state finals for the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest in March at UCO.

The competition, presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about poetry through memorization, performance and competition.

Lloyd's final recitation was "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus.

Lloyd received an award of $200 and was set for an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to compete at the Poetry Out Loud national finals in April. However, due to the Covid19 pandemic, the National Endowment for the Arts canceled the national competition and is exploring new ways to celebrate the state winners.

Lloyd's school additionally received a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials.

Natalie McGowan, a student from Putnam City North High School, was the first runner-up and received $100, with $200 for her school library.

Rounding out the top-five students were Hannah Green, from Augustine Christian Academy in Tulsa; Honor Plumlee, from Union High School in Tulsa; and Michayla Tate, from Classen School of Advanced Studies in Oklahoma City.