SHS’s Thomas Bosmeniel Wins Regional Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest-Qualifies for State
Seward High Junior, Thomas Bosmeniel of Ulysses, was selected a Regional Winner in the Poetry Out Loud Regional contest held at the Norfolk Arts Center in Norfolk, NE on Wed. Feb. 15, 2017. The event was one of three regionals for the annual High School poetry recitation contest for the national program of Poetry Out Loud! Thomas recited the poems “Battle Hymn of the Republic” by Julia Ward Howe and “Sonnet 29-When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,” by Wm Shakespeare. He will now add one more poem to recite at the state contest-as he is required to recite three poems.
Thomas received a certificate, a collection of poetry books and a year’s membership in the Norfolk Arts Center. He is now qualified to compete for the champion scholarships at the State Contest in March.
Other representatives selected at this regional contest included Amber Bruegman of Bloomfield High , who presented “I am offering this poem” by Jimmy Snatiago and “I carry your heart with me (I carry in in my heart) by EE Cummings and Amanda Pohlman of Skutt High in Omaha who presented “Mrs. Adam” by Kathleen Norris and “Let the Light Enter” by Frances Harper. Regionals were also held in Kearney and in Omaha.
He will now compete at the State Contest on March 11, 2017 at the Sheldon Art Gallery Auditorium-as a state finalist for a chance to represent Nebraska at the National contest in Washington, DC, competing for various scholarships and awards. The contest is sponsored locally by the Seward Arts Council and on the State level by the Nebraska Arts Council. It is also funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.
Thomas previously won the local SHS Poetry Out Loud contest over forty eight other contestants and earned the right to represent SHS at the Regionals. His local artist in residence from the Nebraska Arts Council that worked with him in preparation for the contests was Pippa White-author, actress and drama coach, who visited Seward High to work with the students in preparation of the competition. Clark Kolterman serves as the sponsor and coach for this program.