Jessica D’Agostino, a junjor at Holmdel High School, was named
one of two champions in Region 3 of the 13th annual New Jersey “Poetry Out Loud” competition.
The event was held at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank on Feb. 7. She shared the championship with Madhavi Steinert of Ocean County Vocational Technical School.
D’Agostino is the fourth Holmdel High student to win the regional competition in the last 10 years.
Her showing enabled her to now compete in the state final on March 12 at Ocean County College in Toms River.
In place since 2006, “Poetry Out Loud” is a national poetry recitation contest that has its roots in English classrooms (Grades 9-12) throughout the country. In New Jersey alone, more than 25,000 students from more than 150 schools participated in this year’s contest.
D’Agostino advanced from a field of 24 “classroom winners” at the school level in January in order to advance to the Region 3 competition, where she competed against the school winners from Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties.
She will compete against 11 other regional champions for a spot in the national tournament final that is scheduled in May in Washington, D.C.
The National Finalist will be awarded a first prize of $20,000 as well as $5,000 for his or her school to buy poetry books.
“I have always had a deep appreciation for poetry and feel so lucky to be
able to represent Holmdel High School in this prestigious competition,” she said. “I’d like to thank my mom and dad and family for tolerating my incessant practice recitations. Of course, I would like also to thank my English teachers, Mr. Dante and Ms. McDonald, for preparing me so well. I cannot wait to continue in the competition and I’m so very grateful for the support of family, friends and the entire Holmdel community.”
For more information about the “Poetry Out Loud” competition, please visit:
http://jerseyarts.com/pol/2016/about.asp.