Who may participate?
The Lost in Translation Poetry Event is open to students of Vermont Organization of Classics and Language Educators (VOCALE) members, from Pre-K through 12th grade, currently enrolled in French or Spanish. There are also separate categories for students who are native/heritage speakers of each language.
TEACHERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REGISTERING THEIR STUDENTS in order for their students to participate in this event. Teachers must fill out this REGISTRATION FORM by Thursday, April 17th. From there, they have until Thursday, May 1 at 3 p.m. to ensure their students' permission slips and videos get uploaded to their classroom-specific Google Drive folder.
TEACHERS: In order for students to participate in this event, you must upload that student's signed permission slip. Permission slips may be accessed here. When you register a student, you are confirming that parents/caregivers have agreed to the following statement:
"I understand that participation in this event will be through online video submission. My student's voice and video will be evaluated on a platform where it can be viewed by other teachers, judges, and event organizers. Students will identify themselves by first name only, and no other identifying information will be shared on this platform. With my signature below, I am giving my consent for my student to participate. I must respond in order for my student to be fully registered."
What do the students have to do?
Students recite from memory a poem in the target language. Poems are assigned: you can find the selections HERE. Students are encouraged to be creative and artistic with their interpretations. The students will record their poems and teachers will submit them virtually so that recordings can be reviewed by judges.
What are the levels/categories?
Each school may enter a maximum of 10 students per level in each category and language.
Pre-K - 3rd grade French or Spanish*
4th - 6th grade French or Spanish
7th - 8th grade French or Spanish
High School French or Spanish
4th - 8th Native/heritage speakers French or Spanish
High School Native/Heritage speakers French or Spanish
*This category is not a competition, but rather a community celebration of language and poetry. Each participant will receive a certificate of participation.
How does judging work?
The students will record a video of them reciting their pre-selected poem from memory between April 1 and May 1, 2025. Teachers have until 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 1 to ensure the students' videos and permission slips are uploaded to the teacher's contest folder. The text of the poems are available HERE. Students are actively encouraged to be expressive, creative and artistic and may use gestures, intonation and dramatic pauses when interpreting their poems. After the submission deadline, judges will review recordings.
Winners of each category will receive a $50 prize and be invited to a ceremony at the Vermont State House this spring that will celebrate their work.
The judges will score the students' performance based on these four criteria:
10% pragmatics
30% memorization
30% pronunciation
30% performance & delivery
The full rubric can be viewed HERE.