ABPA YOU-TUBE Student's Performance Comp for 2012

[manfredvijars]

There has been much debate about involving the youth in bush poetry. Many of our Poets are consistently hard-working in this area and report mixed results. We look around and our ranks are ageing. I'd like to put up for debate, a new approach to engage the youth through You Tube. You Tube is a popular social website for uploading videos.
Here is a rough outline for a proposed ...

YOU-TUBE STUDENT'S PERFORMANCE COMPETITION for 2012
Open to all School students, primary and secondary performing their own Original works in two categories,
.....Serious and
.....Humorous

.....Judging criteria (to be determined)
.....Judging panel (invitations from existing list)
.....Sponsors/funding (to be sought)

For Administration, we have software for accepting, recording and tracking of entries.

Entrant's validation to be via snail-mail of an ORIGINAL letter from their respective Schools, including the student particulars and parent's permissions.

A file naming convention will be issued to each entrant to identify the year and entrant as well as providing optimised searching for judges and the public.

This, I believe, is one way for the ABPA to create a different opportunity for youth to perform and be seen by fostering original (rhyming) works and exploiting existing technology. In the process extend the Bush Poetry audience, lift ABPA Profile and keep our culture strong.


We welcome your thoughts, ideas and comments.


Manfred.

[Zondrae]

G'day Manfred,

Is it proposed that the ABPA approach schools to promote this type of contest? Or is it proposed that members will be asked to approach the schools in their own area? Or aren't we up to that bit yet. Generally is seems like a good idea.

[manfredvijars]

The ABPA will do the approaching ...

[Bob Pacey]

I feel the concept is great however I baulk at restricting it to own original works.

I think we also need to include a Traditional section as well.

An assistance pack to teachers may also be needed to give some help with the composing of the original works and perhaps a list of poets in their area who are prepared to assist in this ?

Just a few thoughts.

Exciting stuff Manfred

Bob

[manfredvijars]

G'day Bob ... I don't think we should underestimate the creativity of the youth. This is a New Generation utilising existing technology (new and unfamiliar to us). Making the prize sufficiently attractive for the individual, should bring some exciting creativity to the fore and maybe we could learn something. (The ABPA parametres for Bush Poetry would apply)

Having a Traditional section could be something for later but the thinking is to keep it simple at this stage.

Your thoughts ???

M.

[Bob Pacey]

I just thought it might exclude some kids. We are all different and for some of us writing is our forte where for others it is performing and those kids who perhaps might not be attracted by writing would by the performance aspect.

I found my grandson doing an assignment poetry the other night and of course it was all the free style forms ?

Getting poetry out there into the schools is a great love of mine and
whatever is decided will be great Manfred. Great stuff.


Bob

[David J Delaney]

I found my grandson doing an assignment poetry the other night and of course it was all the free style forms ?
Bob

My grandaughter also had an assignment on poetry & also this centred on free verse, unfortunately our young teachers are being taught by academics who only want to push the free verse style, I'm all for getting rhyme back into our schools.

[Neville Briggs]

I think it's a great idea Manfred. Things like You Tube are a deep mystery to me, but I am sure it is a good choice for the younger people.

I have suggestion...... that maybe the challenge could be a rhyming metred texting poem.
It's been done in Britain with amazing response from young people.
( DAVID CRYSTAL, Txting, the gr8 Db8, Oxford University Press 2008 )

[manfredvijars]

As far as I know, rhyming poetry hasn't been banned from schools.

We are about providing opportunities for fostering rhyme-n-metre.

I don't think this sort of competition has been done before so isn't it great that a bunch of us 'old Farts' (AND Fartettes) taking are the initiative in providing an inovative competition for the youth ...

[manfredvijars]

Thanks for that Nev, that has merit worth looking into. Noted!

The proposed "You tube" comp is about extracting two things from the Youth, Originality and Performance. One thing, from an ABPA perspective, in the process it will also give us a far greater exposure.