One by one, students from Toledo Early College High School sashayed across the stage Friday, approached the microphone, and confidently delivered poems in the school’s Poetry Out Loud competition.
All 12 participants impressed the judges, but Sarah Sahmarani edged out her classmates to take the title. She moves on to compete in the regional event Feb. 21 in Findlay.
“It feels amazing,” she said. “I feel like all my hard work [paid off].”
Each competitor advanced out of their classroom competition in which about 150 students read aloud for a panel of teachers. The finalists recited a pair of poems they selected — all from memory.
Sarah chose “Momma Said” by Calvin Forbes, and “Ode to the Midwest” by Kevin Young.
“They kind of go hand in hand because they both talk about food,” Sarah said. “I just love the message both of them bring.
“I think it’s awesome how we get to go up there and make it our own. You get to let the audience feel the emotion you bring to the poem.”
Four judges graded each student on accuracy, physical presence, articulation, dramatic appropriateness, evidence of understanding, and overall performance.
Eric Pilcher, former TECHS teacher and current University of Toledo instructor, said the key to a good performance is bringing the poem out for everyone to see.
“I thought that’s what [Sarah] did,” he said. “She had the tone, the emotion, and the pacing, which is always hard when you’re up there a little nervous.”
All 12 contestants were girls, and Mr. Pilcher said he hopes to see more male participation in the future. Melissa Joseph, the school’s English chairman, said participation was mandatory for freshmen and sophomores, and optional for juniors and seniors.
“I thought they all did a very nice job,” Mr. Pilcher said. “It’s the first time I can remember where no one needed a prompt.”
The winner of the regional event in Findlay advances to the state championship in Columbus March 4. Ohio will send one person to the national championship in Washington.
Poetry Out Loud is in its 12th year and is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Association. The contest encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation, and helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage.
“It’s been growing steadily every year,” said Katie Swett of the Ohio Arts Council. “It is an inclusive and flexible program.
“I love that it is designed so that not anybody can just skate to victory,” she added. “It rewards students for hard work and kind of does truly give them a universal experience of poetry.”
Staff writer Mark Reiter contributed to this report.
Contact Jay Skebba at: jskebba@theblade.com, 419-376-9414, or on Twitter @JaySkebbaBlade.
First Published January 21, 2017, 5:00 a.m.
