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<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121">Greetings from Lansing --<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121">The Michigan Humanities Council (MHC) invites you to the Poetry Out Loud State Finals taking place this week on
<b>March 1 and 2 at the Lansing Crowne Plaza</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121">As you may know,
<a href="https://www.michiganhumanities.org/poetry-out-loud-3/">Poetry Out Loud</a> is a national high school poetry recitation contest that MHC coordinates through a partnership with the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, National Endowment for
the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additional support is generously provided by Meijer and the Liesel Litzenburger Meijer Fund. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121">I’ve attached a flyer that shares some additional details about the program and our 2019 schedule, including the timeframes for each round of competition. You can also find updates
via <a href="https://www.michiganhumanities.org/michigan-high-school-students-bring-poetry-to-life-at-state-competition/">
a recent press release about POL</a> and on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MichiganPoetryOutLoud/" id="LPlnk930405">
POL Facebook page</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121">This year marks our fourteenth State Finals competition, and we’re anxiously awaiting two days of talented, courageous students taking the stage to recite known works of poetry
for their peers, families, teachers, and a panel of judges. If you are available on the afternoon of Friday, March 1, or morning of Saturday, March 2, please consider joining us for the rounds of competition, which are open to the public.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121">Finally, if you’d like a sneak peek of what’s ahead for this year’s Poetry Out Loud State Finals, you can view <a href="https://youtu.be/xRbX1R7e_EI" target="_blank" id="LPlnk342956">a
short video</a> that we produced following last year’s event. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121">Questions about the POL program or State Finals? Please don't hesitate to reach out via phone or email. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121">Best,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121">Katie<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">--------------------<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Katie Wittenauer<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Director of Programs<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Michigan Humanities<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">119 Pere Marquette Drive, Suite 3B<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lansing, MI 48912<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(517) 372-7770, ext. 26<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.michiganhumanities.org/"><span style="color:blue">www.michiganhumanities.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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