Whitefield Senior is Georgia's "Poetry Out Loud" Champion

Whitefield Academy senior Samara Huggins recently won first place in Georgia’s statewide Poetry Out Loud competition, held at the Atlanta History Center.

In partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and Georgia Council for the Arts, the Atlanta History Center administers Poetry Out Loud for the state of Georgia. Functioning much like a spelling bee, the competition uses a pyramid structure that begins in the classroom, and winners at each level advance to school-wide, semi-final regional, regional, state, and finally, national competition. This was Samara’s fourth, straight appearance in the Georgia state finals of Poetry Out Loud. She will now represent Georgia at the national competition in Washington D.C. on April 24-26.

To earn the Georgia award, Huggins beat out thousands of students from more than 88 schools in Georgia. She recited “Novel” by Arthur Rimbaud, “Dream Song 14” by John Berryman, and “The Farmer” by W.D. Erhart in three successive rounds at the state competition. For her win, Huggins receives a cash prize from the National Endowment for the Arts and her school also receives a cash prize to be used toward the purchase of poetry books for the school.

Huggins enjoys many creative and artistic pursuits and she is looking forward to beginning college this fall at The Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, where she will study both fashion design and creative writing. Said Huggins, “I like to communicate with my art and use it to influence people.” In her down time, Huggins enjoys studying Spanish and Italian language, cooking and gardening. She has also been a key part of Whitefield’s theater and drama, and girls’ basketball programs and works with the Lower School’s aftercare program, noting the job has taught her that she really enjoys being around children!

Through their participation in Poetry Out Loud, students improve public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about the role great poetry plays in literature. The competition encourages high school students to learn poetry through memorization and performance of the written word, incorporating the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word, and theater in the recitation of selected poems from those chosen each year by Poetry Out Loud officials.

Located in Smyrna, Whitefield Academy is a Christ-centered, college preparatory school serving more than 800 students in PreK4 through 12th grade. Whitefield’s tight-knit, family-focused community is unique, providing students a learning environment with top-notch academics, while facilitating the discovery of student talents and interests. With more than 50 sports teams and an award-winning fine arts program, Whitefield students hone their skills, develop deep relationships with God and others, and enjoy pursuing their passions both in and out of the classroom. For more information, visit whitefieldacademy.com.