What's Happening in Merrick, NY…

The Poetry Out Loud competitions recently held at three schools in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District resulted in six finalists being sent to the regional competition later this month.

As a national poetry reciting competition to encourage the study of great poetry through performance, memorization, and presentation, Poetry Out Loud requires students to select a poem to recite in front of a panel of judges, who are primarily English teachers. Scores are based on voice and articulation, physical presence, level of complexity, evidence of understanding, dramatic appropriateness, and overall performance.

Each school selected two winners, who will move on to the regional competition later this month to be held at Stony Brook University.

Lisa Condoluci, a senior from Mepham High School, won first place for her delivery of ‘the Novel’ by Arthur Rimbaud, and Alyssa Rabinowitz, also a senior, won second place for the recitation of ‘Poor Angels’ by Edward Hirsch.

At Kennedy High School, the first place winner was sophomore Stephanie Person for her delivery of ‘The Applicant’ by Sylvia Plath, and second place went to Rachel Mashal for her recitation of ‘Caged Bird’ by Maya Angelou.

At Calhoun High School, winners were Katie Gallagher and Patty Georgas, both students of Dr. Saul Wiener.

The regional competition will be held on February 26. The use of banner printing companies is one way the district can get the word out about the competition and generate enthusiasm in the community for it.