The colors

of the ribbons awarded were red, notable; yellow, accomplished; green,

excellent; purple, exceptional; and blue, magnificent. Judges evaluated

students on their stage presence, articulation, interpretation, memory/accuracy,

and difficulty of the poem.

From the county

festival, one student from each grade level with the highest scoring recitation

will be invited to participate in the regional recitation competition

to be held in the upcoming weeks in Griffin. Debbie Wheat, reading coordinator

for the Fayette County School System, said recitation festivals are important

because every student needs and deserves opportunities to select, memorize

and recite poetry and prose.

"At the

heart of recitation is an evolving appreciation for the beauty of our

language and specific works that are a part of our cultural literacy.

For example, Longfellow's "Paul Revere's Ride" still captures

the spirit of the earliest days of the Revolutionary War with images and

rhyme not found in textbooks. Whitman's "O Captain! My Captain!"

continues to express in the 21st Century the pain of our nation at Lincoln's

assassination in the 19th Century," Wheat explained.

In addition,

she adds that more contemporary works offer students humor, creative language,

and unique perspectives that make poems meaningful and fun. Outside of

the literary realm, recitations also give students opportunities to experience

the rewards of goal setting, which requires effort, patience, and self-discipline.

Reciting a poem allows students to test their confidence in public speaking

in ever-increasing public venues - home, classroom, school, system, region

and state.

"Poetry

recitations are the perfect higher-order thinking activity. Students must

select a piece that is meaningful to them which requires evaluation and

analysis. Then they must synthesize meaning and emotion to create the

perfect pace, phrasing, and tone for the presentation," said Wheat.

"I believe the selections of our students this year and the recitations

of their pieces have been extraordinary. Our students have offered beautiful

presentations of some very challenging pieces. We are proud of every participant."