Two ASMS students Win Regional Finals for Poetry Out Loud Competition

Two ASMS students won the regional finals in their categories for the Poetry Out Loud competition, a program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

May Molina-Meija took first place in anthology poetry recitation, reading works by John Keats and William Wordsworth. Ligaya Gapud won in the original poetry recitation category, reading two of her own works. Their performances were judged by local artists and poets at the Contemporary Art Center in downtown Mobile. Both young women will now go on to compete in Montgomery at the state-level competition.

May says that the experience helped her build confidence: “I used to dismiss these types of opportunities because I was too scared to speak in front of people, so I’m proud of myself for gathering the courage to do it.” Similarly, Ligaya says, “Two years ago, I would have been far too nervous to do anything like this, and I'm proud of myself for making it this far. I can't wait to perform at the state level!”

We at ASMS are very proud of May and Ligaya, who demonstrate that ASMS students are as strong in the humanities as they are in STEM.