The last contestant of the school-level Poetry Out Loud poetry recitation competition was the biggest surprise.  Matt Earp recited “Song of the Shattering Vessels” by Peter Cole and stunned listeners with his casual but confident delivery.  He was awarded first place and received a $50 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble.  The prize was sponsored by the National Honor Society.

Junior Luke Staley took second place, and sophomore Sarah Maerten was third.  Each received a $25 gift certificate sponsored by the National English Honor Society.

Isabella Marcellino, the NEHS president, was master of ceremonies.  Other NEHS officers helped with scoring, ushering, and videotaping the event.

Mrs. Laura Scuffins is the school-level organizer.  She will forward the winning name to the county competition that will be held in January. The faculty judges included Mrs. Barbara Ferguson, Ms. Joanne Freimuth, Mr. Dave Kehne, Mrs. Cheryl Novotny, and Mrs. Samantha Servey.

Participants included:

• Allison King, Class of 2018
  • “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou
• Matt Earp, Class of 2015
  • “Song of the Shattering Vessels” by Peter Cole
• Rebecca Yates, Class of 2017
  • “The Albatross” by Kate Bass
• Sarah Maerten, Class of 2017
  • “Beautiful Wreckage” by W.D. Ehrhart
• John Morris, Class of 2017
  • “To Catch a Little Rhyme” by Eve Merriam
• Morgan Buchanan, Class of 2015
  • “Backdrop Addresses Cowboy” by Margaret Atwood
• Anthony Gianbruno, Class of 2017
  • “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley
• Krista Kelly, Class of 2018
  • “The Poet” by Yone Noguchi
• Gage Thatcher, Class of 2016
  • “Black Boys Play the Classics” by Toi Derricotte
• Aaron Calenoff, Class of 2017
  • “All Hallow’s Eve” by Dorothea Tanning
• Luke Staley, Class of 2016
  • “The Death of Allegory” by Billy Collins
• Shannon McGoey, Class of 2018
  • “La Figlia che Piange” by T.S. Eliot
• P.J. Hinch, Class of 2018
  • “The Time I’ve Lost in Wooing” by Tomas Moore
• Richard Deuto, Class of 2015
  • “The War in the Air” by Howard Nemerov
• Erika Jacobs, Class of 2017
  • “My Grandmother’s Love Letters” by Hart Crane
• Jacob Butehorn, Class of 2016
  • “America” by Claude McKay
• Rachael Buker, Class of 2016
  • “All Hallow’s Eve” by Dorothea Tanning
• Grace Hewitson, Class of 2017
  • “Abandoned Farmhouse” by Ted Kooser
• Caitlin Butler, Class of 2017
  • “A Song in Minor Key” by Dorothy Parker
• Allison Eckloff, Class of 2017
  • “Sadie and Maud” by Gwendolyn Brooks