CHARLESTON, W.Va. – St. Marys High School student Willow Peyton will represent West Virginia in the 2024 Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, D.C., on May 1-2.
Peyton won the state competition hosted by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History (WVDACH) and the West Virginia Commission on the Arts on Saturday, March 9, at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex, in Charleston. John Spellman of Morgantown High School was named the state runner-up.
Peyton recited “A Song: Lying is an occupation” by Laetitia Pilkington, “How to Triumph Like a Girl” by Ada Limon, and “The Poem You’ve Been Waiting For” by Tarfia Faizullah.
Spellman’s poems included “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats, “The Light the Dead See” by Frank Stanford, and “The Charge of the Light Brigade” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
Forty-four students from high schools in 28 counties competed in the semifinals on Friday, March 8, 2024, with the top 10 contestants competing Saturday in the state final. A complete list of semifinalists and their schools is attached. Top 10 finalists and Top 5 finalists are also noted.
Peyton will receive $200 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for the national finals. St. Marys High School will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry books and materials. The school’s Poetry Out Loud coordinator is Paige Cook.
As the runner-up, Spellman will receive $100, and his school will receive $200 to purchase poetry materials. Morgantown High School’s Poetry Out Loud coordinator is Jessica Robertson.
Both students received trophies created by West Virginia artist Matt Thomas of Gilmer County.
Poetry Out Loud is a poetry recitation contest sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry Magazine, the oldest English-language monthly publication dedicated to verse. The program is designed to encourage high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition.
Beginning at the classroom level, more than 4,000 students and 167 teachers at 50 West Virginia high schools participated in the Poetry Out Loud program this year.
The following students from Harrison County participated
Bridgeport High School – Jay Scott (Top 5)
Lincoln High School – Myah Riley
Notre Dame High School – Audrey Kosydar