Wilson High School announces the winners of Wilson High School’s inaugural contest of Poetry Out Loud®. The student winners are first place, Faith Angeline Ongaria; second place, Ayden Phillips; and third place, Catherine Canfield.
Poetry Out Loud—presented in partnership with the South Carolina Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation—is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.3 million students across the country have participated in Poetry Out Loud.
Wilson High School’s competition is open to all students. On November 14, 2024, 13 students participated in the Poetry Out Loud contest in the Alie E. Brooks Auditorium. Students recited works selected from an anthology of more than 1,200 poems. Judges evaluated student performances on criteria including voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, and accuracy.
Faith Angeline Ongaria will advance to the State Poetry Out Loud contest in Columbia on March 8, 2025. The State champion will receive $200 and will advance to the national finals in the spring where $50,000 in awards and school/organizational stipends will be distributed. The representing school or organization of the state champion will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry materials. The first runner-up in each state will receive $100, with $200 for their school or organization. The Poetry Foundation provides and administers all aspects of the monetary prizes awarded and travel arrangements for the Poetry Out Loud National Finals.
