Poetry & Science - Developing Indiana's Talent 6-15-2010

[I cannot explain the gap in my notes. However, I have noted at the end of each MS the date, so I go on. Part of me thinks the world will not really care what went missing. It may even wish they had all disappeared. sch 11/6/2022.]

 I suppose these ideas could work elsewhere, but I am from Indiana:

1. Start a competition between high schools for best poet, culminating in a Junior Poet Laureate of Indiana.
2. Start a competition for best one act play by a high school student. Again, end with one winner in the state.
3. High school science fairs used to be common, but I cannot recall a recent one in Madison County.

Organize as was done with the basketball tourney - no classes, sectional to state final.

The idea came to me during my pretrial detention as I worked on a one act-play. The costs seem minimal - and the return seems high:

1. Promoting literacy;
2. Promoting community.

[2022 looking back at 2010 would add a third benefit: promoting creativity, which will be needed to succeed in our high-tech world. sch 11-6-22.]

I suggest making poetry also a performance rather than only a literary event. The Ancient Greeks and Irish treated poetry in this manner. Poetry slams have been popular now for years.

I could see publication of the poetry by the local papers (hit to newspapers - where was "The Night Before Christmas" first published?), or an anthology by the IU Press.

Having the school's English teachers first pass on the work's literary qualities would not be a great cost. The school's drama teacher could pass on the feasibility of producing a particular play, as well as its literary qualities.

[What I did not know in 2010 was the Indiana has INVerse and a program for high school students. sch 11/6/22.]

The principal thing is to do, and to promote the winners. If we want improvements in our academics, then we need to make them not only important but vital. We make them vital by giving the same recognition to these winners as Indiana does to its Mr. Basketball.

I say any county could organize this competition itself - if waiting for the state would take too long. Madison County could organize such an event and use the Paramount Theater for the championships and the science fair. 

It could be organized this way for the poetry and plays:

1. Each school takes entries from its students and its English department; the top three go forward.
2. The top three are put to a public performance, and public acclamation judges the winner.
   
3. The winner from each high school then go to a county-wide competition.

That the winner at the county level would get a scholarship surely could be arranged.

sch

The principal thing