Franklin High School Freshman Wins Third Place in Poetry Out Loud State Final

Franklin High School ninth grader Marina Zaki, left, earned third place in the state’s Poetry Out Loud competition. (Photo Courtesy Franklin Public Schools)

FRANKLIN — Franklin High School is proud to share that freshman Marina Zaki recently won third place at the Poetry Out Loud state final.

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of poetry through a recitation competition for high school students. Participants memorize and recite poems selected from the Poetry Out Loud database and are judged based on their physical presence, voice and articulation, interpretation, evidence of understanding and overall performance.

On March 8, Marina competed against students from 48 other schools across Massachusetts. She performed “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, “My Grandmother’s Love Letters” by Hart Crane and “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, ending her competitive run with a third-place finish. 

The Poetry Out Loud program begins at a local level, with students volunteering to perform in their own schools. Marina won the schoolwide competition and moved on to the district level, where she earned a top five spot and advanced to the state competition at the Old South Meeting House in Boston. 

The first-place finisher at the state level advances to the final, national competition. 

Marina was inspired to participate in Poetry Out Loud after watching her sister perform in the competition two years prior. 

“Seeing so many emphatic and passionate people presenting these poems and telling their story as if it was unfolding right in front of my eyes really inspired me,” Marina said.

“We are so proud of Marina for winning third place at the Poetry Out Loud state final,” said Principal Maria Weber. “The confidence she exudes during performances is inspiring, and it has been an honor to see her grow as she advanced through the competition. We are also so grateful to English teacher Erin Kennerley, who worked closely with the Poetry Out Loud program to bring the competition to Franklin High School and guide students through each round. Without her efforts, Marina and her classmates would not have had this opportunity.”

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