LOWER LAKE — The spirit of Walt Whitman was surely soaring over the library at Lower Lake High School last week, as winner Elizabeth Perkins brought strong emotion to her recitation of “O Captain, My Captain,” a famous Whitman poem about the tragic death of Abraham Lincoln. Excitement was in the air as five finalists from teachers Glen Simpson”s sophomore English class and Lori White”s senior English class prepared to recite famous poems they had chosen to memorize from a comprehensive anthology of classic and contemporary poems. Judges Michele Krueger, the Lake County coordinator for California Poets in the Schools, the largest arts education residency program in the country, and Sandra Wade, former Lake County poet laureate, evaluated student performances on criteria including articulation, evidence of understanding, level of difficulty, and accuracy.
The Poetry Out Loud national recitation competition, presented in partnership with the California Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and the Lake County Arts Council, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition.
Perkins will advance to the Lake County finals, along with the winner of the school contest at Middletown High School, which took place Tuesday, Feb. 10. Perkins was awarded a $20 gift certificate to purchase books at Wild About Books, a bookstore located in Clearlake, sponsored by the Lake County Arts Council. Frank Anthony Benavidez, first runner-up, received a $15 gift certificate sponsored by Wild About Books.
The county finals will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, at the Main Street Gallery at 230 N. Main St. in Lakeport. For information, call Michele Krueger at 928-6768.
