Poetry Out Loud winner headed to Washington

Poetry winner
Thandisizwe Jackson-Nisan recites one of her poems during Monday's "Poetry Out Loud" state contest in St. Paul. The MTS Technology High senior won the contest, advancing her to the national contest in April in Washington.
MPR photo/Tom Weber

It's tournament time in Minnesota, and not just for sports.

On Monday some of the state's best high school poetry readers competed for a state championship.

Poetry contest
Participants in the "Poetry Out Loud" contest stand on stage after Monday's event at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. In all, 18 students from around Minnesota competed for a chance to take part in the national "Poetry Out Loud" contest next month.
MPR photo/Tom Weber

Eighteen students from across the state took part in the 'Poetry Out Loud' contest. They were judged by a panel on seven criteria, including physical presence and level of difficulty.

The champion was named after three rounds of poems. The title went to Thandisizwe Jackson-Nisan.

She's a senior at MTS Technology High School in Minneapolis. In her final round, she read a poem called "Booker T and W.E.B," by Dudley Randall.

Nisan won a trip to Washington next month to compete for the national title.

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