This is the fifth year weve participated in the contest, but its the first year weve had to add an elimination round, because its growing, says Sheila Sears of the Colorado Council on the Arts. Weve had more interest this year from places around the state. We have competitors coming from everywhere: Lakewood, Leadville, Eaton, Colorado Springs, Estes Park, Swink and Branson, a little town 55 miles southeast of Trinidad, for instance. The far-flung crew will present poems chosen from an online list of about 500 in a contest thats not as easy as it sounds for an age group known for its inherent sense of drama. They have to be able to find the appropriate level of performance so as not to have the presentation overshadow the poems language, Sears explains.
Cheer for Colorados entrants when emcee Jake Adam York kicks things off at 6:30 p.m. at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 South Allison Parkway in Lakewood; admission is free. Visit www.coloarts.org for more information.
Tue., March 9, 6 p.m., 2010