Students give voice to poetic classics
CHERRY TWP — One recited her poem to her brother. Another his lines into a tape recorder.
Amy Malinowski, a ninth grade student, stood in front of a glass cabinet and repeated "Beauty" by Tony Hoagland to her reflection.
The three were among the nine who competed in Moniteau High School's first Poetry Out Loud contest Monday night. The competition challenges high school students to say a poem from memory and be judged on voice projection, physical appearance, dramatization, the poem's level of difficulty and understanding of the poem.
After the students selected their poems in December, their methods of preparing were as varied as the poems they recited.
Blake Lambermont, a junior, claimed he just started learning the 55-line "Kubla Khan" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge just last week when he played back his voice on a tape recorder. Though, when his turn to take the stage in the high school auditorium came, he breezed through without hesitation.
A dress rehearsal and school assembly helped the students calm some nerves, but freshman Shawna Cotherman still had the jitters before she got up before parents and judges to recite "Blessing" by James Wright. Over and over she had practiced her poem, especially a line about the delicateness of the skin across a girl's wrist."It's only natural to be nervous," junior James Bonetti said.He had locked himself in the bathroom to practice "Dover Beach" by Matthew Arnold. "You don't want to be over the top or under the top,"he said. "You just want to be on top."James was the first to grab the microphone Monday night and won over the physical appearance category with a dark suit and tie. Blake suspected the knot on the tie wouldn't pass in a Future Farmers of America competition, but he was the only one to make the effort.Blake is a member of FFA, sports and band. He signed on for the contest because it simply sounded fun, he said.Most of the students who recited Monday are involved in various school activities.Lauren Martin, an English teacher, said the goal was to showcase some students who aren't the stars on the field. Martin organized the event, which was interspersed with music from the ensemble choir and solos, after she heard about the program through Arts Path.The contest began nationally in 2005 throughout the National Endowment of the Arts and The Poetry Foundation. A representative of Arts Path, the state's arts-in-education organization, was on hand from Indiana (Pa.) University.Martin said she likes poetry and this was a fun way to get students involved. She advertised the contest in classes.Cody Stewart, a junior, decided to sign up for the contest because he wanted additional public speaking experience. He participates in musicals, choir and mock trial on his path to becoming a trial lawyer.
Junior Michele Gebhart runs on the cross country team, sings in the choir and plays an instrument. "I'm in every band at this school," she said.Michele, who recited "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" by James Weldon Johnson, said learning the words was rather easy, but she focused on the performance."Every line is about lifting,"she said."So I need to do something with my hands other than lift."Samantha Wright, a sophomore, said the modern verse of "Conversation" by Ai allowed her to be herself on stage. She had practiced her subtle movements with her brother.James began his poem with his hands clasped then relaxed, lifted his right forearm and slowly closed his fist to accentuate the end of a line of gerunds.Michele was the most demonstrative with her hands, which helped her capture first runner up.Cody, whose poem included lots of onomatopoeia, mostly kept his hands at his side. He, instead, used his voice to dramatize the boy who took his "vorpal" sword in hand to slice off the head of Jabberwock, from the poem "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll. Cody's performance took first place.Cody moves directly to state competition because Moniteau was the only school in the region participating. The state winner is eligible for national competition, where scholarships are up for grabs.Martin pulled together bouquets for the runners up and gift certificates for the winner. The gift certificates will allow the winner to get a new outfit and make-over before the state competition March 13.
