The Holmdel Board of Education congratulated Board Student Representative Jessica D’Agostino for winning the New Jersey “Poetry Out Loud” competition.
A Holmdel High School junior, Jessica was named one of two “champions” in Region 3 of the 13th annual New Jersey “Poetry Out Loud” competition held Feb. 6 at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, according to a prepared statement from the school.
In place since 2006, “Poetry Out Loud” is a national poetry recitation contest that has its roots in English classrooms, grades nine to 12, throughout the country. In New Jersey alone, more than 25,000 students from more than 150 schools participated in this year’s contest, according to a prepared statement.
Jessica herself defeated 24 “classroom winners” at the school level in January in order to advance to the Region 3 competition, where she competed against the school winners from Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties in order to advance to this month’s state final, according to a prepared statement.
“I have always had a deep appreciation for poetry and feel so lucky to be able to represent Holmdel High School in this prestigious competition. I’d like to thank my mom and dad and family for tolerating my incessant practice recitations,” she said in a statement. “Of course, I would like also to thank my English teachers, Mr. Dante and Ms. McDonald, for preparing me so well. I cannot wait to continue in the competition and I’m so very grateful for the support of family, friends and the entire Holmdel community.”
Jessica competed March 12 in the state final, at the campus of Ocean County College, along with 11 other regional champions for the right to advance to the national finals, held in Washington, D.C. in May.
The national finalist will be awarded a first prize of $20,000, as well as $5,000 for his or her school to buy poetry books, according to a prepared statement from the school.
The board recognized the accomplishments of Holmdel High School students who were selected and participated in All-State music ensembles this year.
The students were All-State Chorus members Elizabeth Caplan, Gabriella DeGregorio, Jessica Kuleshov and Emma Shapiro, and All-State Orchestra member Kathryn Tso.
The New Jersey Music Educators Association is a federated state unit of National Association for Music Education, which is a voluntary, non-profit organization representing all phases of music education in schools, colleges, universities and teacher-education institutions, according to the organization’s website.
The board also approved a recommendation to combine job responsibilities to create the position of director of Community Programs and Student Transportation, and appointed Lara Carducci to this role.
“The director of Community Programs and Student Transportation was created from the consolidation of two positions that I recommended to the board: coordinator of Childcare Enterprise Program and transportation coordinator. Carducci was previously coordinator of Childcare Enterprise Program. She has been with the district for over three years,” Superintendent Robert McGarry said.
For more information visit www.holmdelschools.org/board-of-education/boe-meeting-highlights.
Contact Vashti Harris at vharris@newspapermediagroup.com.
