AUSTIN, Texas—The University of Texas at Austin was host to the 29th Annual Poetry Declamation Contest, on April 26, giving 150 Austin area students in grades three through 12 a chance to put their Spanish skills to the test.
The students memorized and recited two poems in Spanish, one chosen by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the university, and the other chosen by their teachers. Professors and lecturers from the department were volunteer judges for the competition.
Elementary winners for the Level 1 first-year Spanish category include: Kyle Serradet, St. Gabriel’s Catholic School, first place; Caroline Geiger, St. Gabriel’s Catholic School, second place; and Amy Breen, St. Gabriel’s Catholic School, third place.
The middle school competition included a Level 1 category as well as a Level 1A category for heritage speakers with experience outside the classroom. The Level 1 winners include: Paige Pharr, Hill Country Middle School, first place; Christina Chang, Hill Country Middle School, second place; and Joel Gronberg, Kealing Junior High, third place. Level 1A middle school winners include: Suri Diaz, Burnet Middle School, first place; Laura Emamian, Kealing Junior High, second place; and Wendilyn Ilund, Burnet Middle School, third place.
The high school competition included categories ranging from Level 1-4 depending on the students’ years of classroom study. Level 1 winners include: Nathan Parsons, St. Andrew’s Upper School, first place; and Robert Cook, St. Andrew’s Upper School, second place. Level 2 winners include: Meredith Gutierrez, L.C. Anderson High School, first place; Brock Naeve, St. Andrew’s Upper School, second place; and Sarah Cook, St. Andrew’s Upper School, third place. Level 3 winners include: Katrina Martin, Westlake High School, first place; Melody Muñoz, Westlake High School, second place; and Savannah Wiseman, St. Andrew’s Upper School, third place. Level 4 winners include: Kimberly Urrieta, Austin High School, first place; Jenna Morris, Westlake High School, second place; and Natalie Goodnow, L. C. Anderson, third place.
High school winners for Levels 2A-4A include: Crystal Hamilton, San Andrew’s Upper School, (2A) first place; Sebastian Artega, L. B. Johnson High School, (3A) first place; Fabian Amador, Connally High School, (4A) first place; and Sinthia Vazquez, Travis High School, (4A) second place.
The 29th Annual Poetry Declamation Contest was sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.
For more information contact: Mary Diehl, 512-232-7359.
