Roses are red, violets are blue, the poetry competition came, and Juwon won the game.

On February 7, the Lakeridge English Department hosted the 2022 Poetry Out Loud Competition.  That day, freshmanCharles Peterson took third, senior Sofia Corso took second, and freshman Juwon Kim took first.

The first round of the competition took place in some Lakeridge English classrooms. 

“We voted and went through alternates until we found people who wanted to recite at the school-wide event,” said contestant Peren Tiemann. 

The finalists then went to the school-wide contest. The other participants in the final school competition were freshmen Amelie Creten, Danette Fidler, Ella Fry, Klara Griffin, Brena Stepek and Tate Williams, and seniors Abby Mendoza, Claire Sarnowski, Peren Tiemann and Zoe Walkenhorst.

“The school-wide one was quite exciting as we were able to hear people from a variety of classes,” said Tiemann.

In the school-wide competition, contestants had to do two separate poems. Winner Kim chose “Fairy Tale With Laryngitis And Resignation Letter” by Jehanne Dubrow and “I Think I Should Have Loved You Presently” by Edna St Vincent Millay. The second poem touched Kim, and she gained a deep connection to it.

“The poem really stuck with me because it’s grief and regrets about not being able to really show that you love someone before it’s too late,” said Kim.

All of this began as an assignment in English class and Kim did not think she would make it this far.

“Of course, I wanted to but also I just wanted to show how much these poems meant to me,” said Kim.

With the state competition approaching Kim says she is very excited but also a bit nervous.