At the inaugural National Poetry Recitation Competition, Hwa Chongians Koh Ting Jia (23A14) and He Jingyi (22S6A), received first runner-up and second runner-up respectively in the competition鈥檚 Open Category.聽

Ting Jia recited 鈥淛abberwocky鈥� by Lewis Carrol, while Jingyi recited 鈥淢y City, My Canvas鈥�, by her tutor, poet and educator, Ms Heng Siok Tian.聽

Organised by Poetry Festival Singapore, this competition aims to promote the appreciation of poetry in the classroom and the community by encouraging students and members of the public in Singapore to learn poems by heart. At the finals of the primary category held at the Play Den of The Arts House, finalists competed for certificates and cash prizes, while sharing their appreciation of their favourite poems with the public at large.

> 鈥淭he inaugural Poetry Recitation Competition truly allowed me to dig deeper into the realm of poetry and literary craft. In spending time memorising the lines of my poem, Jabberwocky, I learnt to appreciate the craft and complexities of the poem more 鈥� the diction, lineation聽 and more. It was truly an enriching experience and I was so grateful for the support of my friends and my teacher Ms Heng!鈥�
> Koh Ting Jia (23A14)

> 鈥淚鈥檇 like to thank my tutor, Ms Heng Siok Tian, for nurturing my love for literature. I鈥檓 beyond honoured to be given the chance to recite her poem 鈥淢y City, My Canvas鈥�, instilling a spark of my own creativity in response to her original work.鈥�聽聽
> He Jingyi (22S6A)

(From left to right) He Jingyi, Ms Heng Siok Tian, Koh Ting Jia