Recitation winners advance to District Festival in Feb.

Reading and memorizing a poem is one thing, but making it come alive in front of an audience is a real feat and that is exactly what Fayette’s elementary students did at the county’s annual Recitation Festival.

 After months of memorization and practicing pronunciation, enunciation and diction, not to mention the countless hours spent rehearsing voice inflexions and facial expressions, students dazzled audience members at the 2011 festival. They were vying for the opportunity to represent the county at the district festival taking place in Griffin in February.

The competitors advancing to the district competition are Kaitlin Hunter, kindergarten, Tyrone; Malia Bender, first grade, Crabapple Lane; Nicole Smith, second grade, Braelinn; Lilly Anne Beatty, third grade, Peeples; Olivia Wernecke, fourth grade, Braelinn; and Carol-Anne Collins, fifth grade, Peeples.

Students qualified for the county competition by placing first in their individual school recitation competitions. The first place winners from the county festival advanced to the district level.

“I want to extend my congratulations to all students who participated in our recitation festivals from the classroom to the system level. It takes great courage and discipline to memorize a poem and recite it in front of an audience. I am so proud of each and every one of our students. There were truly some amazing recitations,” says Debbie Wheat, coordinator of K-5 language arts and K-12 reading.