Stepping outside the classroom, eight high school students recited poetry lines from memory in the school competition held on February 8, 2023. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Zowie Hubbard, freshmen, and Mateo Morfin, junior, continued to the regional competition in Flagstaff, AZ on February 20, 2023.
Zowie Hubbard, SMIS Freshmen, placed in the Top 3 of the Arizona State Finals of Poetry Out Loud Northern Arizona Regionals competition on February 20, 2023. Zowie competed among seven student champions from four Northern Arizona schools, including SMIS Junior Mateo Morfin. Zowie advanced to compete against eight other Arizona students in the state finals at the University of Arizona Poetry Center in Tucson, AZ on March 11. Unfortunately, Zowie did not place as a finalist in the state competition and did receive an Honorable Mention recognition. She received tremendous support from the other participants and program organizers for her achievement in her first year of competition. Zowie was the only freshmen to compete.
The Poetry Out Loud is a part of a national competition which celebrates the reading of poetry. At the state and national finals, students must have 3 poems prepared with one poem being 25 lines or fewer, and one other poem must be written before the 20th century. One poem may be used to meet both criteria, and may be the student’s third poem. The poems must be selected from the Poetry Out Loud anthology which is updated annually. Mr. Joseph Carriere, English teacher, is the advisor for the school event.