Glacier Gilbert, left, and Leki Albright represented the Methow Valley in the Eastern Regional Poetry Out Loud competition in Spokane.
Methow Valley representatives Leki Albright, a junior at Liberty Bell High School, and Independent Learning Center senior Glacier Gilbert performed well at the Eastern Regional Poetry Out Loud competition in Spokane last week, but did not advance to the state finals.
Albright and Gilbert were among eight students who recited poems before a panel of judges. Two Spokane students finished first and second and will go the state finals in Tacoma.
“The two Methow Valley finalists gave a great showing,” local Poetry Out Loud coordinator Kelly Grayum reported. “Leki and Glacier recited their poems with poise, grace and confidence and represented the valley well and should be proud.”
Albright was the second two-time winner of the school’s annual Poetry Out Loud contest, which was held in December at The Merc Playhouse before a panel of local judges. Nine students from Liberty Bell and five from the ILC each recited two poems.
Albright won the Liberty Bell competition in 2020 as a freshman, and finished second in 2021. The only other previous two-time winner was Cymone Van Marter in 2019 and 2018.
The Poetry Out Loud program funnels students from classroom contests to school competitions, to regionals, and then to state finals. Winners in all 50 states as well as six U.S. Territories compete for top honors and tens of thousands of dollars in scholarship prize money.
