Douglas High School senior Dominique Groffman will compete at the national Poetry Out Loud competition in Washington, D.C. on April 28 and 29. Groffman is one of 53 finalists from a pool of more than 360,000 selected to compete at the national level.
Groffman was named Nevada’s 2015 Poetry Out Loud State Champion at the 10th Annual Nevada State Finals March 14 at the Siena Hotel in downtown Reno. Groffman recited “Planetarium,” a poem by Adrienne Rich, “To Live with a Landscape,” by Constance Urdang, and “Often Rebuked, Yet Always Back Returning,” a poem by Emily Bronte.
“The literary arts have always been a figure in the western landscape, so it’s no surprise poetry resonates in the Silver State. Poetry Out Loud is a complex program to coordinate on a statewide basis, but its impact on our students is remarkable,” said Susan Boskoff, executive director of the council. “Parents, teachers, and principals across this state deserve credit for ensuring a next generation of readers, writers, and thinkers.”
Groffman received $1,000, an all-expenses paid trip to the national competition, and $1,000 for her school for literary programming. The national champion receives a $20,000 prize. Good luck to Dominique!
