Brophy’s annual Poetry Out Loud competition gives Brophy students lifelong skills beyond high school.
Poetry Out Loud is an organization that allows students to recite a selected poem with physical poise, appropriate voice articulation, correct interpretation, evidence of understanding, and their overall performance. Brophy students are graded on these facets by their classmates and their overall accuracy by their teacher, and it provides students with lasting skills that will stick with them beyond high school scope.
POL recitations give us a way to mimic our future responsibilities in college, like presenting in front of our peers or associates, which can be quite scary. Still, it’s a “good practice for you guys to do that, to learn how to speak in front of your peers and colleagues,” as it’s a skill we all need, said English Department Chair, Mrs. Ashley Doud.
These annual presentations, whether in the classroom or at nationals, undoubtedly give us self-confidence as well. For example, when we finish our recitation, having spent a week perfecting our poem, we have this rush of relief and especially pride, including the rest of the class: “because we’re all on the same team together.” Mrs. Doud said.
Presentations can be scary, and it’s scary for everyone; it’s a normal part of the recitation. But we are reciting as a team. There is an underlying camaraderie with these classroom recitations, where we have a space to “honor and listen to each other…we’re not alone in this—we’re doing it together,” Mrs. Doud said. This aspect of Poetry Out Loud is what makes it so special; we are becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable and open to the growth and commentary of our fellow brothers.
However, with the increasingly high implementation of artificial intelligence and technology, these recitations are not only a mere requirement, but a necessity. People nowadays are so engulfed in their devices and technology, making it their priority, that putting it down to listen to one another is truly a gift.
Overall, no matter how “boring” or “unneeded” it may be, we must recognize that these recitations are gifts. In a classroom, without POL, we would never have the time to listen to beautiful works of past legends and writers and share that gift with the rest of our peers.
