Words & Photos: Natalie Knight-Griffin
On Friday, April 5, Howard County officials and County Executive Calvin Ball recognized three Howard County students for placing in the top three of the regional Poetry Out Loud competition.
Centennial senior Poushali Banerjee recited her winning poem during the event. Due to her achievements in poetry, County Executive Ball dedicated April 5 as “Poushali Banerjee Day” in Howard County.
Across all of Maryland, 5,400 students participated in Poetry Out Loud. Out of those thousands, only a few hundred advanced to the regional level. It was Howard County students Banerjee, Hannah Alkowsi, and Jaylen Barrett who placed in the top three winning spots.
County Executive Ball made it a point to stress his appreciation for the arts in our schools, urging the need for a public event in recognition of the competition’s winners.
“Tapping into the arts helps make our quality of life the best it can be,” said County Executive Ball. “I would love to see more participation in the arts.”
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