Holyoke High Holds Third Annual Poetry Out Loud Competition

Cue the snapplause for this year’s competitors.

Matthew McAndrew, Staff Reporter '15|February 3, 2015

Poetry Out Loud 2015 from Michael Hines on Vimeo.

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This year’s competitors following their performances.

On January 14, the Holyoke High Band Room played host to the third annual, school wide Poetry Out Loud competition. Students from every grade, who won smaller classroom competitions, memorized two different poems and recited them to three judges, in two rounds, split up by musical interludes from three members of the Holyoke High School band.

Winner, Madysen Lawrence, recited: “Digging”, by Seamus Heaney, and “All This and More” by Mary Karr. Runner-up, Kenny Roche, recited “For the Young Who Want To” by Marge Piercy, and “Cartoon Physics; Part 1” by Nick Flynn. Third place winner, Justin Baez, recited “I Am Learning to Abandon the World” by Linda Pastan, and “Friendship After Love” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

The three finalists: Kenny Roche, Justin Baez, and Madysen Lawrence.
The three finalists: Kenny Roche, Justin Baez, and Madysen Lawrence.

All three winners work together with Ms. Sweeney, teacher and advisor to the Holyoke High School Drama Club, which is currently working on hosting a production of “To Kill a Mockingbird” later this year. Senior Madysen Lawrence said, “I’m super psyched to win my senior year. Ms. Sweeney and everyone worked so hard to put it all together.” Madysen is a third year participant in the competition and said that “it means so much to win” her senior year. In late February, Madysen will continue on to the State Semi-Final competition to represent Holyoke High School.

Above is video of the competition.