DELMARVA-Students on Delmarva are competing for the national 'Poetry Out Loud' contest in hopes of going on to win it all.
'Poetry Out Loud' has been an annual contest across the U.S. since 2006. This year, students will be reciting their poems a little differently, via Zoom, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A professor at Woodbridge High School in Delaware nominated a junior who, despite facing personal and health struggles, made it and is now representing her school.
Librarian and media specialist Harry Brake said he thought of nominating TyLeigha Owens, an 11th grader he's gotten to know over the past few years.
"Yeah, unfortunately for her, I scouted her out," he said. "I kind of thought 'hey you would be really great for this' and that's usually what happens I think, with different things." Owens admitted she was surprised when she heard about the nomination seeing as though she's never performed before; but participating has given her a sense of normalcy after struggling with hybrid learning and even contracting COVID herself. "At first, I kind of took it as a joke, I didn't really take it serious until like it got to the point where like it's got serious and I realize like I can't really back out," she said. "So I just decided to do it 'cause it was something different and something that's out of my comfort zone...with everything going on this year I just feel like why not." Owens said her entire family got COVID-19 back in December when she was beginning to practice. Most recently, she's also dealt with a stomach virus and an eye infection that caused her to miss some rehearsals that all contestants participate in to ensure the recorded virtual audition goes smoothly. She said she's glad to be back to normal as her audition took place Friday afternoon. The 2021 jurors are set to view and score the students' recorded performances during a semifinal round on Feb. 24 as they read two of their chosen poems from a list provided to them. Owens said she chose 'I too' by Langston Hughes and 'Momma Said' by Calvin Forbes. Then the third poem (Owens' pick of A Song: Lying is an occupation) will be read if and when she reaches the final round on March 3; that winner will go on to represent the entire state of Delaware. Brake said it's nice to see that spoken word has come back in style. "I think it puts a different spin on what traditionally, people thought was poetry found in old dusty books," he said. "Especially with you know, the cool thing was with Amanda Gorman and the inaugural speech, it changes the way people, I think, look at what spoken word can do and what it means." Empowering youth with their voice, one poem at a time.