Agenda

Return

C. 75

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Monica Nino, County Administrator
Date:	March 22, 2022

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Stipends for the 2022 Poetry Out Loud Student Winners and Judges

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 03/22/2022

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Lara DeLaney, 925-655-2057

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: March 22, 2022
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

AUTHORIZE the Auditor-Controller, or designee, to pay each of the Contra Costa County 2022 Poetry Out Loud (POL) competition judges a stipend in an amount up to $250 per person to compensate for the time they spent ranking the performance and receiving a training, and to pay each of the POL student winners a stipend in an amount between $25 and $200 for the time they spent preparing for and participating in the POL County competition.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The stipend for judges and student winners has been included in the Poetry Out Loud program expenditures as part of a grant from the California Arts Council. (100% State)

BACKGROUND:

The California Arts Council provides grant funding to counties each year to conduct an annual Poetry Out Loud (POL) Competition. Contra Costa County participates in this competition. Included in the grant the County Arts & Culture Commission received its funding for stipends to be paid directly to the County POL competition judges for the time they spent ranking the performance and stipends to be paid directly to the student winners for the time they spent preparing for and participating in the school-wide and countywide competitions.

In 2022, five local high schools participated in the Contra Costa County POL program conducted by the Arts & Culture Commission. Judges ranked the performance of each student and determined a champion for each participating high school. Judges also conducted the ranking for the countywide competition featuring student finalists from all five schools. Since the workload for judges ranking the countywide competition is more than those ranking the school-wide competition, it is recommended that the countywide judges each receive a stipend in the amount of $150, while the schoolwide judges each receive a stipend in the amount of $100. Two judges ranked both a school-wide competition and the countywide competition, therefore, each will receive a stipend in the amount of $250.

In addition, five high school student champions participated in the POL County Competition on February 10, 2022. A Resolution by the Board of Supervisors at its March 22, 2022 meeting acknowledged the first, second and third place County winners. To recognize the time and effort high school student champions spent preparing for and participating in the County competition, it is recommended that a $200 stipend be paid to the County Champion, a $150 stipend be paid to the second place winner, a $100 stipend be paid to the third place winner, and a $25 stipend be paid to the other two finalists for participation.

The approval of the recommendation will allow the Auditor-Controller to issue payment to a total of seven judges in an amount not to exceed $1,250, and to issue payment to a total of five student winners in an amount not to exceed $500.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

The Poetry Out Loud competition judges and student winners will not receive proper compensation for the time they spent as related to the program. Further, the County would not support a student's ability to participate in an enriching educational experience, regardless of income.