NEW LONDON, N.H. — Superintendent Winfried Feneberg and Principal Charles Langille are pleased to announce that Kearsarge Regional High School recently hosted its annual Poetry Out Loud competition.
Poetry Out Loud is a national organization funded by the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. The nationwide competition is designed to help high school students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about literary history and contemporary life through the memorization and performance of poems.
The school-wide Poetry Out Loud competition, which was coordinated by English teachers Lisa Cicoria and Makayla Gosselin, was held on Feb. 9 after nearly 200 students competed in their respective classrooms in January. The competition was held in-person and recorded.
To view the recording, click here.
Freshman Oliver Andrews, of Andover, was named the school champion and sophomore Amanda Lyons, of Newbury, was named runner-up.
The other seven students who competed in the school-wide competition were:
- Remi Jacques, a freshman from Newbury
- Thomas Shepard, a freshman from New London
- Lily Cicoria, a sophomore from Newbury
- Samantha Frazee, a sophomore from Warner
- Gabe Scola, a sophomore from Warner
- Bella Foroohar, a junior from Warner
- Erin Wheeler, a senior from Wilmot
The nine students recited two poems and were judged on their physical presence, voice/articulation, dramatic appropriateness, evidence of understanding and accuracy.
“Our students did an incredible job during this year’s schoolwide competition,” Cicoria said. “It takes courage to perform in front of their peers, and I applaud them for being able to do so. We’re excited for Oliver and wish him the best as he heads to the regional competition later this week.”
Andrews will compete against winners from other high schools in the area in the New Hampshire Regional Competition, which will be held virtually this week. Should he place at the regionals, he will then go on to compete in the statewide competition in March.
Winners from each state will receive a cash prize of $200 and a chance to compete in the virtualnational competition in May. The state champion’s school also will receive $500 to support the expansion of its poetry collection.
About the Poetry Foundation
The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience. The Poetry Foundation seeks to be a leader in shaping a receptive climate for poetry by developing new audiences, creating new avenues for delivery, and encouraging new kinds of poetry through innovative partnerships, prizes, and programs. For more information, visit poetryfoundation.org. Follow the Poetry Foundation and Poetry on Facebook at facebook.com/poetryfoundation or on Twitter @PoetryFound.
About the NEA
The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $5 billion to strengthen the creative capacity of our communities by providing all Americans with diverse opportunities for arts participation. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov.
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