State Poetry Out Loud Competition

[Rev. Elizabeth]

Sierra Benoit, junior at BFA, has won the school Poetry Out Loud competition and will compete Wednesday, at the Barre Opera House,  with students from 38 other high schools to see who will go to the national competition held in Washington D.C.  Her first poem is "Mingus at the Showplace" by William Matthews, and her second, should she continue to that level, will be "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," by Julia Ward Howe.  She was coached by Fred Griffin who oversees the Poetry Out Loud program in the school.
Poetry Out Loud is a national program that fosters the memorization and understanding of poetry among high school youth.

[rod anode]

sounds like a north korean thing to me

[Rev. Elizabeth]

Not quite sure where that is coming from, Rod, but if you find humor somewhere, lol!!!!

[ASDuling]

This is a great program. I watch the national competition streaming online.

[Rev. Elizabeth]

Sierra Benoit performed two poem in the Poetry Out Loud Competition in Barre today.  Although she did not make it to the finals--5 were chosen out of 19--her performance of The Battle Hymn of the Republic (yes, she recited it as a poem; it is part of the Poetry Out Loud anthology) was powerful and stirring; she moved me to tears!