Students win at national recitation contest in Montreal

APRIL 22, 2015

Montreal, QC — Poetry In Voice/Les voix de la poésie is proud to announce the winners of its fifth annual poetry recitation competition, held yesterday for the first time in Montreal at la salle Pierre-Mercure, 300 de Maisonneuve East, Montreal. In the country-wide competition, students competed for the opportunity to take home $5,000 in each category.

The nine student winners are:

English Prize Stream

Olivia Perry (right) won the first prize of $5,000, and $1,000 for the library of St. James All-Grade School in Lark Harbour (with $500 reserved for the purchase of poetry books) for the best combined score of three recitations in English.

Phoenix Sandrock (left) won the second prize of $1,000, and $500 for the library of Canterbury High School in Ottawa, Ontario for the purchase of poetry books.

Ayo Akinfenwa (centre) won the third prize of $500, and $250 for the library of Bur Oak Secondary School in Markham, Ontario for the purchase of poetry books.

Bilingual Prize Stream

Mattis Savard-Verhoeven (centre) won the first prize of $5,000, and $1,000 for the library of Cégep du Vieux Montréal in Montreal, Quebec (with $500 reserved for the purchase of poetry books) for the best combined score of one poem in English and one poem in French. 

Marie Foolchand (left) won the second prize of $1,000, and $500 for the library of l’École secondaire Étienne-Brûlé in Toronto, Ontario for the purchase of poetry books.

Juliette Rolland Apergis (right) won the third prize of $500, and $250 for the library of l’École internationale de Montréal in Montreal, Quebec for the purchase of poetry books.

French Prize Stream

Luna Dansereau (centre) won the first prize of $5,000, and $1,000 for the library of Cégep de Sorel-Tracy in Sorel-Tracy (with $500 reserved for the purchase of poetry books) for the best combined score of three recitations in French.

Camilia Gélinas (left) won the second prize of $1,000, and $500 for the library of Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf in Montreal, Quebec for the purchase of poetry books.

Lou-Anne Bouchard (right) won the third prize of $500, and $250 for the library of Cégep du Vieux Montréal in Montreal, Quebec for the purchase of poetry books.

During the two-day National Finals, students not only met other young poetry lovers and performers from all over Canada but also took part in writing workshops run by poet and Creative Director Damian Rogers and poet Eric Charlebois. Teacher chaperones had the opportunity to attend a pedagogical workshop led by our Educational Consultant Liisa House. Yesterday nine finalists competed in front of a sold-out enthusiastic audience comprised of 800 Montreal students and teachers.

“There is a great benefit at being able to stand up without any notes and speak in front of an audience, and have the confidence to do that,” said Scott Griffin, founder of Poetry In Voice and The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry.

Nearly 400 schools signed up for Poetry In Voice this year and the National Finals included 39 finalists from secondary schools and Collèges d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEPs) from across Canada. This year, an estimated 40,000 students accepted the challenge to memorize and recite poems in English or French from a set anthology of classic and contemporary poems. Yesterday’s event was the final contest; all of the finalists had already won their classroom and school contests before going on to advance from our Online Semifinals.

About Poetry In Voice:
Poetry In Voice aims to promote poetry in the classroom and the community. Poetry In Voice is a national recitation competition, reaching across Canada, for secondary school and Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) students. It serves to engage students in an appreciation of the beauty of language through poetry, while at the same time instilling a sense of confidence through the art of public speaking.

Website:            poetryinvoice.ca
Twitter:              @PIV_LVP
Facebook:         Poetry In Voice/Les voix de la poésie
 
For interview requests, please contact:
Damian Rogers at 416.993.5683
or damian@poetryinvoice.ca

 

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