<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<style type="text/css" style="display:none;"> P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;} </style>
</head>
<body dir="ltr">
<div class="elementToProof" style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Hello,</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">
Michigan Humanities is excited to host the 2025 <a href="https://www.michiganhumanities.org/poetry-out-loud/" target="_blank" id="OWA68ddcde0-fe5a-fe39-227d-4d3975b29497" class="OWAAutoLink" title="https://www.michiganhumanities.org/poetry-out-loud/" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-linkindex="0" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="margin: 0px;">
Poetry Out Loud</a> State Finals next Saturday, March 15, in Lansing. Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation competition for high school students, encouraging them to learn about poetry through memorization and performance, build self-confidence, and
grow their public speaking skills. The program and all materials are provided to each partner at no cost.</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">
<br>
</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">
Each year, participating partners host their own competitions and select a student to represent their school/organization at the state finals. This year, twenty-seven students from across Michigan will travel to Lansing to compete for the title of State Champion
and move on to the National Semifinals and Finals taking place in Washington, D.C., May 5-7, 2025. </div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">
<br>
</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">
If you are in the Lansing-area, we'd love for you to attend and get a chance to see the program in action and see if it might be a good opportunity for your library to participate in the future. Please find full event details
<a href="https://www.michiganhumanities.org/event/michigan-poetry-out-loud-state-finals-2/" target="_blank" id="OWA5c904973-c0b3-6942-605a-4fea4812e5a1" class="OWAAutoLink" title="https://www.michiganhumanities.org/event/michigan-poetry-out-loud-state-finals-2/" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-linkindex="1" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="margin: 0px;">
here.</a> </div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">
<br>
</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">
I've attached a press release with more background on the program, full event details, and a list of competing student champions if you'd like to attend to support a student from your community. No RSVP is required.</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">
<br>
</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">
Please reach out if you have any questions. We hope to see you there!</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">
<br>
</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">
Best,</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">
Estee</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div id="Signature">
<p style="line-height: 115%; background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><b>Estee Schlenner
</b>(she/her/hers)</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 115%; background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><b>Communications Officer</b> |
</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134); line-height: 115%;"><u><a href="mailto:eschlenner@mihumanities.org" id="OWAb2f75b5c-4b0f-a009-614a-409b998f02dc" class="OWAAutoLink" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">eschlenner@mihumanities.org</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%;"> |
</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); line-height: 115%;"><u><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/estee-schlenner-b4645a187/" id="OWAcd43e143-2038-01de-db6d-3b4811ad9547" class="OWAAutoLink" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">LinkedIn</a></u></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 115%; background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><i>Connecting, Sharing, Growing</i></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 115%; background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><i><br>
</i></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 115%; background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<img alt="A blue and white badge with gold ribbon
Description automatically generated" width="95" height="89" style="width: 95px; height: 89px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; float: left;" data-outlook-trace="F:1|T:1" src="cid:44407e0f-a1b9-4659-887a-b3475a377fd1"></p>
<p style="line-height: 115%; background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><b>Michigan Humanities</b></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 115%; background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%;">2364 Woodlake Drive, Suite 100</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 115%; background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%;">Okemos, MI 48864</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 115%; background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%;">517-372-7770 ext. 665</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 115%; background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); line-height: 115%;"><u><a href="http://michiganhumanities.org" id="OWA032881f7-089f-0405-4770-96ec89131079" class="OWAAutoLink" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Website</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%;"> |
</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); line-height: 115%;"><u><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MichiganHumanities" id="OWA84d4f1c2-343e-6895-3306-900ff12f663c" class="OWAAutoLink" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Facebook</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%;"> |
</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); line-height: 115%;"><u><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mihumanities/?hl=en" id="OWAaa3fcfa5-b958-c6e5-ffa7-f32e70c87388" class="OWAAutoLink" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Instagram</a></u></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 115%; background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); line-height: 115%;"><u><br>
</u></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 115%; background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><i>Mission: Bringing people together through stories, histories, cultures, and conversations.</i></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
</div>
</body>
</html>