Hillsboro St. Stephen’s Academy senior wins Oregon’s Poetry Out Loud competition, advances to D.C. event

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – Katie Lineburg, a senior from Hillsboro who attends St. Stephen’s Academy, is Oregon’s 2024 Poetry Out Loud champion. Lineburg received the top score at Saturday’s Poetry Out Loud State Contest, held at the Salem Public Library.

She will now represent Oregon at the national Poetry Out Loud competition, to be held April 30 through May 2 in Washington D.C.

Brooklyn Carr Heuer, a sophomore at West Linn High School, was named runner up. She would be invited to represent Oregon in the national competition should Lineburg be unable to attend. 

Lineburg performed "The Pulley" by George Herbert and "Beginning" by James Wright. She is the oldest of five siblings who loves music and spending time with friends and family. She is a member of the St. Stephen’s Academy Festival Choir and loves poetry because “it allows her to connect with people and express emotions in a deeper way.” She has also loved public speaking since a very young age.

“I am so thankful to my teachers, family and friends for supporting me along the way and I can’t wait to share more goodness, truth and beauty with the world,” said Lineburg.

Carr Heuer enjoys being involved in speech and debate/mock trial. When she is not in school or doing extracurricular activities, she loves reading and being outside.

“This contest gives young people in our state an opportunity to experience how the words of poets can help transform how they interpret the world, unleash their imaginations and hopefully inspire them to one day write their own poems,” said Dr. S. Renee Mitchell, who served as one of the State Contest judges. “When I was their age, I was intensely shy, and I didn’t have the confidence to do what they did today. So in my mind the bravery, confidence and talent of every one of these young performers are to be celebrated and they should be encouraged to continue their journeys. 

“The winner, Katie, exuded a confidence beyond her years,” added Mitchell. “As soon as she stepped on stage, her presence was magnetic. She had just the right mix of interpretation and emotional expression that made you want to lean in and pay attention. She didn’t just interpret the poets’ words; she embodied them with a skill beyond her years of creative expression.”

The other 10 students who competed Saturday, after winning their school competitions and advancing from regionals, are: Cara Chen, Lakeridge High School (Lake Oswego); Maria Daniels, St. Stephen's Academy (Beaverton); Tali Greenfield, Lakeridge High School (Lake Oswego); Traiton Kramer, Oregon School for the Deaf (Salem); Arianna Morris, Redmond High School; Brayden Olsen, Oregon School for the Deaf (Salem); Kaydence Pope, South Medford High School; Misha Rana, West Linn High School; Mariah Reynolds, Redmond High School; and Bena Rodecap, Grant High School (Portland).

Poetry Out Loud is a national recitation contest for high school students, organized in Oregon by the Oregon Arts Commission in collaboration with the NEA and the Poetry Foundation. Participants memorize and present poems, practicing public speaking skills while exploring the complexity of poetry.

The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the Governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of Business Oregon (formerly Oregon Economic and Community Development Department) in 1993, in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. In 2003, the Oregon legislature moved the operations of the Oregon Cultural Trust to the Arts Commission, streamlining operations and making use of the Commission’s expertise in grantmaking, arts and cultural information and community cultural development. 

The Arts Commission is supported with general funds appropriated by the Oregon legislature and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust. More information about the Oregon Arts Commission is available online at:  www.oregonartscommission.org.