The Poetry Out Loud competition has returned to Pinewood for its fourth year, helping students grow and learn about themselves through reciting literature. The competition, which was held at Upper Campus on Jan. 30, offered an easy introduction into the world of poetry recitation. The two Pinewood students who will be moving on to the county-level competition on Feb. 6 are sophomores Elizabeth Liang and Alisha Ramani.

Liang appreciates how Poetry Out Loud introduced her to new perspectives.

“Presenting a poem out loud instead of just reading it off a page deepens your understanding of the emotions the poet tried to express in their work,” Liang said.

This year, freshman Daria Supikova and sophomore Sophie Saibi were among the participants in Poetry Out Loud. Supikova wanted to compete because the opportunity to infuse a poem with her own emotions excited her, and Saibi was encouraged to participate by her curiosity about the competition.

To participate in the entry level of Poetry Out Loud, which was open to all high school students, each participant selected two poems to perform. When it came to deciding on which poems she wanted to recite, Saibi looked into the meaning of each piece.

“I paid special attention to the message of the poem because I knew that having a meaning that really resonated with me would help me to better understand and perform the poem,” Saibi said.

Similarly, Supikova said that she looked for poems with impactful emotions because they would lend themselves to a more engaging recitation.

“I’m pretty good at getting strong emotions across when I’m performing, so I wanted poems that were exciting and not bland or monotone,” Supikova said.

Pinewood English teacher Holly Coty, the Santa Clara County Poetry Out Loud coordinator, said that participating in Poetry Out Loud can help students explore themselves and gain confidence.

“Poetry Out Loud gives students the opportunity to explore their voice, and it also has a rich performative aspect that allows them to find a place of confidence when they’re reciting,” Coty said.

In addition to boosting her confidence, Supikova hoped to gain better control over her nerves when speaking in front of an audience, a skill that would be useful in many aspects of her life. Saibi, on the other hand, hoped to refine her ability to analyze and understand literature.

Ramani enjoyed the new connections she formed with her fellow competitors and the poems they read.

“I loved hearing poems from different genres and time periods that I wouldn’t have otherwise heard,” Ramani said. “All of us supporting each other felt so comforting.”