Special to The Leader

The campus finals of the Stark Contest in Reading and Declamation were held at Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School on Sunday, February 26, with seniors Connor Alexander and Kaylee Pattillo claiming first places in Declamation and Reading, respectively. To go with the title, first place finishers receive a $2,000 scholarship from the Stark Foundation.

Second place winners receive a $1,500 scholarship. Those were Jordan Alexander for Declamation and Eli Ridout for Reading, both sophomores.

Other finalists competing in Declamation were Jackson Baeza, Elizabeth Johns, and Sydney Smith.  Interpretive Reading finalists were Spencer Johns, Alora Jones, and Caitlyn Sulak.

Contest alternates, Ashley Knight and Reagan Hambrick, emceed the contest and Principal Todd Loupe presented the awards. The LCM High School National Honor Society hosted refreshments.

Campus winners will compete for the County winners on Sunday, April 23, 2017, at 2 p.m. at the Lutcher Theater.