Photos
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Shreya Anand recites her second poem of the evening. Credits: Mike Romano
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Jessie Lab, left, and Melonnie Ali, right, cheer as Tynia Thomassie congratulates Shreya Anand on winning the Poetry Out Loud competition at WOHS. Credits: Mike Romano
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WOHS Teacher and Escriptus Chair Tynia Thomassie welcomes guests and participants. Credits: Mike Romano
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The 12 finalists prepare to compete. Credits: Mike Romano
West Orange High School Junior Shreya Anand Wins Poetry Out Loud Contest
Thursday, January 10, 2013 • 12:04am
WEST ORANGE, NJ - WEST ORANGE, NJ - West Orange High School Junior Shreya Anand won the final round of the Poetry Out Loud national recitation contest on Wednesday, Jan. 9.
The competition was held in the West Orange High School auditorium and featured 12 finalists from grades 9 through 12. The evening's event was hosted by Escriptus, the National English Honor Society of West Orange High School.
After two full rounds of poetry recitals, the three finalists with the highest scores advanced to the third round to perform their final poem. Anand was accompanied by seniors Melonnie Ali and Jesse Lab, but was crowned the winner after reciting her final poem, "Zacuanpapalotls" by Brenda Cardenas.
Anand’s first two poems were "Vixen" by W.S. Merwin and "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" by John Donne. Before her second poem, Anand shared a quote that she lives by: "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift." Anand will represent West Orange High School in the regional competition on Feb. 6.
The competition's host for the evening was Tynia Thomassie. Between recitals, the crowd was entertained with music by the West Orange High School String Quartet.
Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure that begins at the classroom level and encourages exposure to poetry as well as performance. Winners advanced in the school-wide competition, then to a regional and/or state competition, and ultimately to the National Finals.
