COVINGTON, Ga. - Two 1st Place Winners From Regional Literacy Days CompetitionNewton County School System was well represented at the recent Griffin RESA (Regional Educational Service Agency) 2019 Regional Literacy Days Poetry Recitation, Ready Writing, and Drama Competition as 15 students brought home awards.

In the poetry recitation contests, competitors were judged on a number of criteria, including stage presence, articulation, interpretation, memory and accuracy, and difficulty of the piece.

Will Franklin of Newton County Theme School won first place in the third-grade recitation contest with his performance of, “Sick” and Anthony Miller of Heard-Mixon Elementary won second place in the fourth-grade recitation competition with his performance of, “The Invitation.” At the middle school level, Newton County Theme School student Amaya Williams, won second place in the seventh grade competition with her performance of “The Spider and the Fly: A Fable” and Aurora Gray of Veterans Memorial Middle won third place in the eighth grade competition with her performance of “In Perfect Harmony.” 

Newton County School System students also earned two awards in the Ready Writing Competition during which students are given a writing prompt and one hour to complete an essay. In the elementary division, Tripp Swords of Mansfield Elementary School won first place in the third-grade competition. Annalie Parker of Veterans Memorial Middle School took home the third place award in the sixth-grade contest. 

Both NCSS drama teams brought home awards from the Regional Literacy Days Competition this year. Mansfield Elementary School’s drama team, comprised of Levi Adams, Aubrey Burton, Alex Johnson, Heidi Parish, Natalie Phillips, and Ean Pollard, won third place with their performance of “Haste Makes Waste.” At the middle school level, the Veterans Memorial Middle School drama team, comprised of Alasia Boggan, Jocelyn Kilgore, and Mackenzie Gayle-Redway, won second place honors with their presentation of, “Because I’m A….”

“The Literacy Days Competition provides students with the opportunity to perform and be recognized for their talents through the celebration of the arts,” Samantha Fuhrey, NCSS superintendent, said. “I am proud that we had so many winners at the regional competition as it takes a tremendous amount of talent and commitment to participate in this type of competition. They definitely represented their schools and our school system very well.”