Poetry Out Loud

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts program that encourages students to learn about great poetry through performances. Timberland hosted their school-level Poetry Out Loud competition January 9, with four competitors.

Congratulations to senior Bella Lutfiyya who won first place at the school competition, with senior Ariana Finn taking second. As the school winner, Lutfiyya progressed to the St. Charles County regional convention on February 15, where she also took first place. With this win, Lutfiyya will progress to the state competition in Jefferson City on March 9.

“I decided to participate in the Poetry Out Loud competition because I wanted to branch out and try a performative art that I had very little experience with. Even though it was my first time doing something like this, I had a lot of fun exploring interpretive speaking and poetry,” Lutfiyya said.

Lutfiyya performed: "And If I Did, What Then?" by George Gascoigne, "Here" by Joshua Mehigan and "One Girl" by Sappho, translated by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

Participation in the POL competition is designed to help students improve their public speaking skills and build their confidence in presenting in front of a group, while further exploring the beauty of classical and modern poetry.

At the school level, each competitor must memorize and present two poems of varying lengths and publication dates. This occurs over two rounds of competition, with faculty members judging understanding, voice, articulation, presentation and other speaking skills. A third poem is required for the regional, state and national competitions.

Senior Noah Carillo and sophomore Luke Mitchell also competed.

Over $50,000 in scholarships and awards are given annually through the national Poetry Out Loud organization.