CHARLESTON, WV — Morgan Sprouse, a junior at Bridgeport High School, represented West Virginia in the Poetry Out Loud National Semifinals earlier this month, finished in the Top 12 and won an award from honorable mention.
Sprouse was one of 55 state and jurisdictional Poetry Out Loud Champions entering the annual contest. As the 4th place winner in one of three regional semi-finals, Sprouse will receive a $1,000 cash prize and a $500 stipend for her school.
Sprouse won the West Virginia Poetry Out Loud Championship in March, with her recitations of “Mansplaining” by Jennifer Militello, “Ways of Talking” by Ha Jin and “A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. She was one of 40 West Virginia high school students to compete in the state finals at the Culture Center in Charleston.
For this competition, each student memorizes and recites classic and contemporary poems. Judges score recitations based on criteria such as physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic relevance, evidence of understanding, overall performance, and accuracy.
The 2022 competition will culminate on Sunday, June 5, where students from across the country will compete for the title of National Poetry Aloud Champion and a $20,000 prize.
Even though Morgan didn’t advance to the final, she represented her state and Bridgeport well.
