New Albany’s Nita Hardin wins Poetry Out Loud Regionals

 

 

The Union County Heritage Museum is proud to announce that Nita Hardin of New Albany has won first place at the Northeast Regional Poetry Out Loud competition while representing the Union County Heritage Museum.

Nita, daughter of Katherine and Sam Hardin, won first place at the UCHM sponsored competition, on January 27th.

Hardin competed against other winners of local POL competitions at the regionals event in Oxford; reciting her two poetry selections, “Part for the Whole” by Robert Francis, and “Sonnet 29: When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes” by William Shakespeare.

She said that regionals “was a great experience,” and that as she looks forward to the state competition she is “excited to hear everyone else’s poems,” at the state event.

Reflecting on her preparation for the regional competition, Hardin noted, “I liked thinking more about what my poem meant, and what the author was trying to communicate. I also liked becoming the person speaking the poem.”

Hardin is a sophomore who attends New Albany High School, and this is her first year to participate in Poetry Out Loud. On March 6th she will join other students from around the state in Jackson, MS to compete for the title of state champion. The state winner will then advance to the national competition in Washington D.C., where the first place prize is $20,000.

Poetry Out Loud is a national program sponsored in Mississippi by the Mississippi Arts Commission and is for students in 9th-12th grade. Participating students select three poems to interpret, memorize and recite. As they prepare for competition, students learn how to use creative writing to interact with their poems, and increase public speaking skills as they practice recitation. POL students gain a personal connection to the greater cannon of literature, become confident interpreters of poetry, and skilled public speakers.

All public, private and homeschool students are welcome to participate in POL. The Union County Heritage Museum offers weekly POL meetings during the fall school semester, and awards a first place prize of $300, second place of $150 and third place of $50 in its local competition. If you are interested in joining the 2025 Union County Heritage Museum Poetry Out Loud program, please contact Alaina Wilder at 662-538-0014.

Jill Smith, Director
Union County Heritage Museum
114 Cleveland Street
New Albany, MS 38652