Minnesota 2011 Poetry Out Loud Champions

Ian Taylor

On Monday, March 7, 2011, eighteen students representing nine regions from around the state competed for the title of state champion at the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Ian Taylor of Woodbury High School, (Woodbury, Minnesota) was named the winner with his recitation of Chicago by Carl Sandburg; A Dream Within A Dream by Edgar Allan Poe; and We Wear The Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar.

Taylor went on to represent Minnesota at the national finals in Washington, DC, on April 28 and 29, 2011, competing with fifty-two other champions from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

• Second place (Alternate): Jamee Snyder
  Milaca High School, Milaca
• Third place: Fabian Brenes
  Big Lake High School, Big Lake
• Fourth place: Andrew Troska
  Centennial High School, Circle Pines
• Fifth place: Thomas McPhee
  Morris Area High School, Morris
• Sixth place: Leah Carlson
  Fosston High School, Fosston

The other twelve state finalists incluided (in alphabetical order)

• Gwendolen Austin—Watershed High School, Minneapolis
• Emily Bernu—Albrook High School, Saginaw
• Bailey Bischoff—Big Lake High School, Big Lake
• Natalie Cook—Adrian High School, Adrian
• Karian Devine—Eastview High School, Apple Valley
• Madeline Franz—St. John's Preparatory School, Collegeville
• Gabby Frenstad—Northfield School of Arts And Technology, Northfield
• Safia Hirsi—Augsburg Fairview Academy, Minneapolis
• Stephanie Johnson—Centennial High School, Circle Pines
• Kari Louwagie—Lakeview School District #2167, Cottonwood
• Kaija Roy—Treknorth High School, Bemidji
• Luke Smit—Wabasha Kellogg High School, Wabasha