SCHOOLS

Central students take part in Poetry Out Loud

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Poetry went from the printed word to dramatic performance when students at schools across the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District recently took part in Poetry Out Loud recitation contests.

Poetry Out Loud is a national competition that encourages the study of poetry through memorization, performance and presentation. Students at Calhoun, Kennedy and Mepham high schools participate in it annually.

During the contests, students select poems to recite in front of panels of judges comprising English teachers. Judges base scores on physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, level of complexity, evidence of understanding and overall performance.


At Kennedy High School, 23 students vied for the top prize. In the end, the judges crowned sophomore Stephanie Person as the first-place winner for her recitation of Sylvia Path’s “The Applicant.” Second place went to junior Rachel Mashal for her recitation of Maya Angelou’s “Caged Bird.” Third place was awarded to sophomore Rebecca Stekol for her recitation of Ilya Kaminsky’s “Author’s Prayer.”

Senior Lisa Condoluci earned first-place honors for her delivery of Arthur Rimbaud’s “Novel” in the Mepham High School contest. Senior Alyssa Rabinowitz recited Edward Hirsch’s “Poor Angels” for the second-place spot, and senior Jaime Marvin took third place for her presentation of E. E. Cummings’ “[i carry your heart with me (i carry it in].”

At Calhoun High in Merrick, Katie Gallagher won the competition for her recitation of Sir Walter Raleigh’s “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd.” Second place went to Patty Georgas, who recited Shakespeare’s “Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind.” Third place was awarded to Megan Parr for her recitation of Kazim Ali’s “Rain.”

Two winners from each school were selected to move on to the regional competition at Stony Brook University on Feb. 26.