GEORGETOWN, Del. - Sussex Academy sophomore Natalia Gatti has earned top honors in the school’s annual Poetry Out Loud competition, following two rounds of performances held Dec. 18.
Gatti was selected from a group of four finalists, including runner-up Natalie Howard, Carley Couch and Joanna Tsoukalas. The event was hosted by last year’s winner, senior Chase Reynolds, and coordinated by English teacher Andie Kirtley. Student Marissa Davis handled lighting and music for the student-run event.
Poetry Out Loud is a nationwide poetry recitation and literacy program supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Students are judged on physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, evidence of understanding, overall performance and poem accuracy.
By winning the school-level contest, Gatti now advances to the state finals, scheduled for Feb. 19 at the Smyrna Opera House. Winners at the state level move on to the national competition in Washington, D.C.