Five Students Selected to Move Forward from Southern Final

In an astonishing competition yesterday at the City Theatre in Biddeford, five students were selected from among 24 to move onto the state finals of Poetry Out Loud.

Students from high schools in the southern part of Maine competed through three rounds of live poetry recitation yesterday in the hopes of becoming one of the ten students who will recite in front of live television cameras on March 23 at Bates College.

Amidst staggering recitals five students moved to the top of the judges score sheets and were selected to move onto the state finals. Avery Laderer, Boothbay Regional High School; Ellyn Touchette, Gorham High School; Kiana Sawyer, Portland High School; Monica Frempong, Morse High School; and Tyler O’Brien, Merriconeag Waldorf High School were the successful students.

The Maine Arts Commission wishes to thank the staff of the City Theatre, our emcee Joshua Bodwell, MPBN for their support and most importantly all of the students that took part. We of course wish to thank all of the supporting teachers, parents and well wishers that came to the event yesterday to make it such an enjoyable afternoon.

We look forward to the northern final at the Grand in Ellsworth on Wednesday, February 15. We hope to see you there.