Carbonaro holds poetry contest

The Robert W. Carbonaro School held its annual poetry recitation contest on April 1, with more than 200 students reciting poems of their choice by memory in recognition of National Poetry Month.

“It’s mental gymnastics, making the brain agile and flexible,” said librarian Kate Lallier, who hosted the event, which she cofounded in 2000 with reading teacher Laurie Arnone.

Arnone and physical education teacher Faye Egre judged the performances, some of which seemed effortless while others required a soft memory jog from Lallier, at stage left. Despite some stuttering, all the students — who each volunteered for the contest — completed their recitations.

“I’m reading ‘Paul Revere’s Ride,’ by…um…ok, I’m just gonna start,” said sixth-grader Shannuel Lamptey as she introduced Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, eliciting chuckles from the audience.

Elias Bonhomme, also in grade 6, was noted for reading “The Lady of Shalott” by the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

Sixth-grader Maya Alschuler-Pierce introduced Robert Frost’s “Birches” before dropping her voice into a rich tone to deliver the poem, which prompted several under-the-breath utterances of admiration from parents in attendance.

The contest was judged in three separate shows: first and second grades, third and fourth grades and fifth and sixth grades. Winners were selected from each grade.

Arnone said the contest serves as an opportunity for students to get better acquainted with poetry and to learn one they might remember for years.

“We also wanted to acknowledge academic achievements with trophies and pins,” she said.

Winners:

Grade 6

Christopher Infantino Award:

Maya Alschuler-Pierce

1st Place

Jennifer Doyle

Abigail Hartig

Devan Kingland

2nd Place

Max Ayala

Nicole Moreno

3rd Place

Elias Bonhomme

Maleya Ferreira

Kalina Palas

Grade 5

1st Place

Amir Green

Liz Lopez

2nd Place

Raquel Henao

Sameer Singh

3rd Place

Kylie McCloat

Gabriela Bury

Eden Jimenez

Megan Ward

Emmanuel Lamptey

Grade 4

1st Place

Sophia Nogueira

Caraline Scanlon

Alexandra Kim

2nd Place

Laura Cardona

Olivia Lane

Sarah Rizzo

3rd Place

Jade Hornick

Olivia Bonhomme

Grade 3

1st Place

Dash Alschuler-Pierce

Joanna Cimino

Jaidylex Lizana

Daniella Ospina

Luke Lopez

2nd Place

Aalyiah Bisnauth

Sheryl Shabaz

3rd Place

Brianna Tapia

Grade 2

1st Place

Zainab Memon

Andrew Nsiah

Nicholas Simone

2nd Place

Jaeyoung Lee

Dylana Gleim

Olivia Valinotti

3rd Place

Tiffany Wojtkielewicz

Bahrija Radoncic

Grade 1

1st Place

Naomi Castang

Brian Cole

2nd Place

Joelle Torres

Vijay Singh

3rd Place

Ethan Azeez

Jayden Bautista