42 students across Canada will compete in $35K national poetry recitation contest
The Poetry in Voice competition challenges students in Grades 9-12 to learn two poems by heart and perform them in front of an audience. They can compete in English, French or a bilingual category. $35,000 will be given to the winners and their school libraries across the three categories.
The competition was established by Scott Griffin, chairman and founder of the Griffin Trust for Excellence In Poetry, in 2010. It is typically held in a different Canadian city each year, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it will take place virtually.
The 42 semifinalists were chosen from thousands of students participating from schools across Canada.
The English semifinalists are:
- Faith Aborode, Assumption College Catholic Secondary School, Windsor, Ont.
- Yusra Ali, Edmonton Isalmic Academy, Edmonton
- Bem Denga, Webber Academy, Calgary
- Al Gilbert, Kildonan-East Collegiate, Winnipeg
- Chloe Lam, Little Flower Academy, Vancouver
- Finn Liu, Fraser Heights Secondary School, Surrey, B.C.
- Ella Majkic, Prince of Wales Secondary School, Vancouver
- LiLi Miko, London Central Secondary School, London, Ont.
- Isabel Miller, Crofton House School, Vancouver
- Kate Morozova, Thornlea Secondary School, Thornhill, Ont.
- Mia Luz Nedellec, Champlain Regional College - Saint-Lambert, Saint-Lambert, Que.
- Stephanie Omorotionmwan, All Saints High School, Calgary
- Lilly O'Rielly, Colonel Grey Senior High School, Charlottetown, P.E.I.
- Pearl Pilip, Ottewell School, Edmonton
- Shanice Raymond, Elmwood High School, Winnipeg
- William Skene, St. George's School, Vancouver
- Anika Yap, St. Joseph's Catholic High School, Windsor, Ont.
- Olivia Yong, Bayview Secondary School, Richmond Hill, Ont.
The French semifinalists are:
- Harshpreet Anand, École La Rose Sauvage, Calgary
- Youssef Farag, Collège Beaubois, Pierrefonds, Que.
- Sarah Hamdi, University of Toronto Schools, Toronto
- Mickaëla Harroche, École Maïmonide Campus Jacob Safra, Saint-Laurent, Que.
- Maria Khouas, Collège Jean-De-Brébeuf, Montréal
- Maya Lachance, Calgary French & International School, Calgary
- Victoria Ngoy Ndombe, Villa Ste-Marcelline, Westmount, Que.
- Annick Parent, Collège St-Alexandre De La Gatineau, Gatineau, Que.
- Camille Racicot, Cégep Du Vieux Montréal, Montréal
- Wisdom Sanouvi-Awoga, École Alexandre-Tâche, St. Albert, Alta.
- Anna Shagalov, École Internationale de Montréal, Montréal
- Chloé Simard, Collège Jean-Eudes, Montréal
The bilingual semifinalists are:
- Lauren Altomare, Northern Secondary School, Toronto
- Amira Aouchiche, École Internationale De Montréal, Montréal
- Nadine Berdous, Collège Jean-Eudes, Montréal
- Charlotte DeLeskie, University of Toronto Schools, Toronto
- Victoria Gotcheva, Glenforest Secondary School, Mississauga, Ont.
- Michelle Lin, West Point Grey Academy, Vancouver
- Rohan Mariash, Miles Macdonell Collegiate, Winnipeg
- Isadora Mota Pinheiro, Collège Beaubois, Pierrefonds, Que.
- Gaëlle Nadon, Collège St-Alexandre De La Gatineau, Gatineau
- Aaronsaul Negre, All Saints High School, Calgary
- Jessica O'Brien-Visbisky, Dr. Charles Best Secondary School, Coquitlam, B.C.
- Natalia Starzeba, Philip Pocock School, Mississauga
Each semifinalist has already earned a $250 prize. The winner of the People's Choice Award, which you can vote for now on the Poetry in Voice website, will receive an extra $500.
You can watch the 42 semifinalists videos here. Voting for the People's Choice Award is open until March 29, 2022.
Nine finalists – three from each category – will be announced on Mar. 24, 2022. The finalists will move on to the national finals, which will be broadcast live online on April 21, 2022 on the Poetry in Voice website.
Last year's Poetry in Voice winners were Thierney Dignadice, Sarah Hamdi and Romy Magdalena Pueyo.
