Sage Innerarity from Pleasant Grove High School (Elk Grove Unified) is the winner of the 2018 Sacramento County Poetry Out Loud competition. She took first place from a field of 13 during the Sacramento County finals, held Thursday, February 15 at Rosemont High School in Sacramento. Sage will represent Sacramento County in the State Finals, March 18–19 in Sacramento. Sophie Getahoun from Inderkum High School (Natomas Unified) is the Sacramento County runner-up.
The Sacramento County Poetry Out Loud competition encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. The program provides students with the opportunity to perform poetry in English classes. Modeled after the National Spelling Bee, the Poetry Out Loud program began in local high school classrooms, with winners advancing to school-wide, then regional competition. Schools across the country are participating in regional competitions.
2018 Poetry Out Loud Participants
- Marley Ross, Capital Christian High School
- Noah Nelken, Cornerstone Christian
- Haley Clark, Del Campo High School, San Juan Unified
- Stephen Andre Pilapil, Elk Grove High School, Elk Grove Unified
- Tayler Bradley, Heritage Peak Charter
- Sophie Getahoun, Inderkum High School, Natomas Unified
- Jessica Nunez, John F. Kennedy High, Sacramento City Unified
- Ma'ake Uluiviti, Luther Burbank High School, Sacramento City Unified
- Sierra Garrett, Natomas Charter
- Sage Innerarity, Pleasant Grove High, Elk Grove Unified
- Jonathan Salman, Rio Americano High School, San Juan Unified
- Sydney Brahmbhatt-Hazewood, Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy
- Brandy Riziki, Sacramento Country Day School
Sacramento County’s Poetry Out Loud program is supported by the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE), California Poets in the Schools, and the Poetry Foundation. The activity is funded in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.