On Monday, February 27th, the Mayo Performing Arts Center hosted the annual regional competition for Poetry Out Loud. Amongst eleven extremely talented contestants, Mitra Sharif represented Madison High School and was chosen to move onto the state competition next Thursday, March 9. Along with Mitra, Vanessa Fanning from Morristown High School will also be joining her in the state competition held at The College of New Jersey.

The regional competition composed of three rounds of poem recitations, with the requirements of one poem being pre-20th century and another being less than 25 lines, leaving the contestants with a final poem of their choice. Mitra was third to go in each round and left an impact on the audience every time she spoke. Her confidence, poise, and true emotion that she showed helped her edge the other competitors and stand out far above the others. Mitra explained to us that, “Winning regionals was a win for my family, friends and educators who have shaped me into the person I am. Without them I would not be able to perform so confidently”.

Mitra is not only successful in poetry, but she’s also a three sport varsity athlete and is very serious about her academics. Mitra is a perfect example of a well-rounded, down to earth person, who solely puts others before herself. She shared, “I am humbled and honored because I was chosen out of a group of other well deserving individuals. It’s a great feeling to get recognition for my hard work, and I hope all who participate in Poetry Out Loud continue to share the gift of poetry and recitation, regardless of the outcome”.

Madison Dodger Online wishes Mitra the best of luck in the state competition!