Publicity Tips

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The Poetry Out Loud contest is a great way to raise school spirit and generate positive visibility for your school. Here are some simple ways to increase awareness of Poetry Out Loud, as well as share your students’ achievements with the community at large.

In Your School

  • Post a “save the date” notice on the school calendar and on bulletin boards throughout the school.
  • Send a notice announcing classroom champions to the school website/newsletter/TV show.
  • Publicize the school-wide competition on the school website and in the student newspaper.
  • Write an article about the school-wide contest for your PTA newsletter.
  • Announce classroom winners and the school-wide competition in the daily PA broadcast or at   assemblies.

Social Media Tips

  • Teachers can post Poetry Out Loud assignments and results on their individual blogs. School blogs can post updates on Poetry Out Loud school contests.
  • Set up a free Twitter account for your school or classroom. Remember to use the Poetry Out Loud hashtag –– #POLnews –– to be part of the larger conversation about POL throughout the school year.
  • Set up a Facebook page for Poetry Out Loud at your school; post updates on the program.
  • If your school allows video sharing websites such as YouTube, use them to highlight videos that complement Poetry Out Loud learning objectives.
  • If you use broadcast channels to feature students reciting poems, please be aware of poetry usage rights. Unless the poem recited is public domain (published in or before 1923), you are responsible for investigating copyright permissions to contemporary poems through the publishers. Publisher information for contemporary poems can be found on the individual poem pages of the Poetry Out Loud website.

In Your Community

  • Call your community newspaper (we suggest the metro section editor) and invite a reporter to attend the school-wide competition. See this sample media advisory (PDF).
  • After the event, send the local newspaper a follow-up press release highlighting the contest, along with a photo of your “poetry champions.” See this sample follow-up press release (PDF).
  • Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Use the letter to showcase your school’s   participation and discuss the benefits of poetry in the classroom.