Colonia High School’s poetry club attended the New Jersey Region Three Poetry Out Loud competition at the Two River Theater Company on February 24, 2015 in support of our school winner, junior, Rabeya Hussaini.
Following their schools poetry competition, Colonia High School’s poetry club attended the state region competition; representing Colonia High School was Rabeya Hussaini. Seven poetry club members attended the competition to support Hussaini this year. Also, poetry club adviser and English teacher Ms. Danielle Simkovich, and Public Speaking teacher Mrs. Stephanie Platko chaperoned the trip and went to support Hussaini.
The National Endowment For The Arts & Poetry Foundation presents the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest as a whole. And The New Jersey Poetry Out Loud region three competition is presented by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey and Discover Jersey Arts. This year the region three competition was hosted at Two River Theater Company, located in Red Bank, New Jersey.
Beginning at 10:00A.M. the competition started with a welcome from Robert M. Rechnitz, the founder/executive producer. Following the welcome was an overview and introduction of the Region three finalists by Poet and Teaching Jacob Winterstein. There were 23 region three finalists from 23 different high schools throughout the region. Round one consisted of the first poem recitations; one poem from each finalist. After that, there was an intermission/ judge deliberation to determine who would make round two. When the judges were finished, 10 semi- finalists were announced, and those ten students started round two with their second poem. Then, round three began with the 10 semi- finalists third poem recitations. While the judges were tallying up their scores after the third round was complete, all twenty- three region finalists came back on stage for student talk-back, or more commonly know as questions and answers. After a few questions from the audience and a few answers from the finalists it was finally time for the presentation of awards.
Although Colonia High School’s finalist, Hussaini did not place into the second round, they still supported all other school’s finalists. Placing second was Patrick Monaghan from Red Band Regional High School, and first place was awarded to Nicole Jenkins from Piscataway High School.
Overall, the twenty-three region three finalists did a fantastic job, and some people could argue that this year it was difficult trying to predict who would win, yet alone advance to round two and three. Even though, Hussaini, did not advance, she recited Revenge by Letitia Elizabeth Landon. Colonia’s poetry members who attended the competition agreed, that Hussani did a great job.
The Poetry Club from Colonia High School awaits the beginning of the region Poetry Out Loud Competition.
For the seniors who attended the competition, it was quite bittersweet. It was the last time going with their poetry club to Poetry Out Loud’s Competition, and they made the best of it.
Senior and poetry club member since it originated, Samantha Girod stated, “My last poetry out loud competition was definitely one worth noting. Although it was very similar to last year’s competition, I enjoyed the fact that the finalists were not predictable in winning unlike last year’s, this year anyone had a shot at winning. I also enjoyed being back at the same hosting place, bringing back old memories from last year’s poetry club.”
A performance well done, Hussaini!
