Poetry Palooza hits Toronto as talented students from Grades 9-12, chosen from over 10,000 participants who have recited classic and contemporary poetry in school competitions and online video submissions, gather for the National Finals.

Poetry In Voice announces the 24 finalists for this year’s National Finals, chosen from over 10,000 students from 1,300 schools across the country. The talented Grade 9-12 reciters will compete for $25,000 total prize money for themselves and their school libraries in an exciting poetic evening at our National Finals Awards Show, on Thurs, April 19th at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto.

First launched in 2010, with students from 12 schools, to foster a love of poetry, this eighth year of the contest will feature the top-scoring students from over 1,300 schools across the country.

The Finalists are:

Carly Benson, Windsor, ON

Alice Blouin-Décoste, Lachine, QC

Jeanne Cantin, Québec, QC

Ghada Charki, Saint-Lambert, QC

Jia Xin Chen, Montréal, QC

Michelle Cheng, Richmond Hill, ON

Sophia Chu, Ottawa, ON

Audrey Décarie-Truffer, Montréal, QC

Geneviève Dubuc,  Vancouver, BC

Aimee-Larissa Dushime, Windsor ON

Simon Duvialard, Calgary, AB

Chloe Harris, Montague, PEI

Brittany Huellas-Bruskiewich, Port Coquitlam, BC

Hamish Marissen-Clark, Vancouver, BC

Anna Navarro, Calgary, AB

Gabrielle Nebrida-Pépin, Port Coquitlam, BC

Laura Beth Neuman, Kitchener, ON

Juliana Nunes, Coquitlam, BC

Charlie Rivard, Montréal, QC

Olivia Torralbo, Montréal, QC

Pujita Verma, Mississauga, ON

Mary Wan, Calgary, AB

Elizabeth Wong, Toronto, ON

John Wood, Toronto, ON

“Since we launched in 2010, the poems on our site have been read over 8 MILLION times. Over 250,000 students have learned a poem by heart,” enthuses David Smith, Director of Poetry In Voice. “Teachers have read our lesson plans 1 MILLION TIMES, and over 4,000 teachers have created an account to use our educational resources. Our mission is to help create a new generation of poetry lovers, and we’re succeeding.”

Over the Finals Week in Toronto, the finalists will compete in French, English, or Bilingual Qualifiers, as well as participate in workshops, an open mic night and “The Epic Toronto Poetry Showdown,” wherein teams of the finalists and their teachers will compete in a bilingual, city-wide poetry scavenger hunt.

The Poetry In Voice Awards Show is a highlight of the spring literary calendar – a massive, exuberant celebration of poetry and performance. This year’s event will be hosted by CBC Radio’s Gill Deacon and features an all-star jury of poets: Éric Charlebois, Liz Howard, Canisia Lubrin, Pierre Nepveu, Adam Soland Erika Soucy. The top nine students will compete for the titles of English, French, or Bilingual Champion.

“This is a great show,” says Canadian musician and author David Usher. “These students dig really deep and add a unique texture and weight to each poem they recite. Their performances blew me away.”

Smith adds, “These students stand fearlessly in front of a packed theatre that goes completely quiet as they lift poems off the page. How many adults could do that? It’s a refreshing, inspiring night for all of us.”

About Poetry In Voice –
Founded by Scott Griffin, chairman and founder of the illustrious Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry, Poetry In Voice is a charitable organization that encourages Canadian students to fall in love with poetry through reading, writing and recitation. In addition to running a nationwide student recitation competition, the organization also provides an anthology of classic and contemporary poems and comprehensive teaching materials at no cost to schools or teachers.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $153 millionto bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country.

Event Listing:
Poetry In Voice National Finals Awards Show
Thursday, April 19th at 7:00pm
Isabel Bader Theatre, 93 Charles St. West, Toronto
During this captivating evening that celebrates the power of poetry, nine contest finalists from across Canada will perform poetry recitations for the chance to win more than $25,000 in prizes. Hosted by CBC personality Gill Deacon.
Tickets: $10/$5 teachers, students, seniors and poets from https://recite2018.eventbrite.ca