Jaeden Rickman, a senior at Westerville Central High School, recently competed at the State Regional Semi-Finals for the national Poetry Out Loud contest. She recited Mr. Darcy, by Angela Chang and Advice to a Prophet by Richard Wilbur.
Rickman competed first at the school level, where contestants memorized a work of poetry from the Poetry Out Loud database of eligible poems and recited from memory. Five semifinalists later competed at the second tier school competition, each reciting two memorized poems.
Rickman memorized three poems for the state semifinals. She was coached by Bridget Cargin, Scott Paynter, Jim Grannis and Amy Farris.