Bonanza Student Among Eight Others to Compete for State Poetry Title

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Megan Southard of Bonanza High School to compete for state Poetry Title

Salem, Oregon – Regional Poetry Out Loud competitions held in Medford, Portland and Salem Saturday identified the nine Oregon high school students who are invited to compete for the 2019 state title on Saturday, March 9. Three finalists were selected from each regional competition.

Poetry Out Loud is a national contest for high school students, organized in Oregon by the Oregon Arts Commission in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. Participants memorize and present poems, practicing public performance skills while exploring the complexity of poetry.

Megan Southard was selected as a finalist at the Southern Regional Contest held at Rogue Community College. Southard is a a senior at Bonanza High School. Southard loves reading, writing and art.

"My favorite poem is The Cities Inside Us by Alberto Rios, which is a beautifully written piece about introspection and what makes us who we are,” says Southard. “Mrs. Heidrich is my teacher and my mentor, she inspires me to become more creative and pursue my dreams. With her support, I am going to Corban University in August to pursue a career in teaching English and continuing my creative journey."

The winners of the Southern Regional Contest, hosted at Rogue Community College, are:

  • Aynika Nelson, Brookings-Harbor High School, Brookings

  • Megan Southard, Bonanza High School, Bonanza

  • Hannah VonHolle, Logos Public Charter School, Medford

The three top finishers from the Portland Regional Contest, held at Lewis and Clark College, are:

  • Christina Brennan, Oregon Connections Academy, Mill City

  • Belise Nishimwe, St. Mary’s Academy, Portland

  • Kaiden Randall, West Linn High School

Finalists selected at the Central Regional Contest at Salem’s Allied Video Productions Studio are:

  • Nicole Coronado, Lakeridge High School, Lake Oswego

  • Amy Jarvie, Oregon School for the Deaf, Salem (2018 state runner up)

  • and Gabriella Shirtcliff, Summit High School, Bend

“As we have come to expect over the 14 years of Poetry Out Loud in Oregon, the caliber of performances was impressive and made selecting only three finalists from each region a challenge,” said Deb Vaughn, the Arts Commission’s arts education/Poetry Out Loud coordinator.

The State Contest is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. in Loucks Auditorium at Salem Public Library (585 Liberty Street SE). The winner will be invited to advance to the national Poetry Out Loud competition, scheduled for April 29-May 1 in Washington, D.C.

Press release provided from Oregon Arts Commission.

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March 6, 2019 - Bonanza Senior To Compete For Poetry Out Loud State Title

(left to right) Aynika Nelson, Brookings-Harbor High School, Brookings; Hannah VonHolle, Logos Public Charter School, Medford; and Megan Southard, Bonanza High School, Bonanza. (Submitted Photo)

(left to right) Aynika Nelson, Brookings-Harbor High School, Brookings; Hannah VonHolle, Logos Public Charter School, Medford; and Megan Southard, Bonanza High School, Bonanza. (Submitted Photo)