Delcastle senior Saad Alzabidi, from the Information Technology Academy, is set to represent the school at the Delaware State Poetry Out Loud Competition this February—an achievement that not only highlights his talent, but also the depth of voice and meaning behind his work.
“I was drawn to Poetry Out Loud at first just out of curiosity and for fun,” Saad shared. “I had experience with memorization through Arabic poetry and the full Quran, so I wanted to see how I would do with English poetry. As I continued, I became more invested in the process and the performance aspect.”
That investment paid off. After advancing through the school-level competition, Saad is now preparing to take the stage on behalf of Delcastle, driven by a thoughtful selection of poems and a desire to connect deeply with his audience.
His chosen pieces—“The Heart of the Tree” by Henry Cuyler Bunner, “The House on the Hill” by Edwin Arlington Robinson, and “Chicago” by Carl Sandburg—aren’t just literary works; they represent a wide emotional spectrum and personal philosophy.
“Each poem represents a different type of strength,” he explained. “‘The Heart of the Tree’ reflects hope and responsibility, ‘The House on the Hill’ captures isolation and memory, and ‘Chicago’ shows pride, toughness, and identity. Together, they allowed me to explore different emotions while still staying true to the kind of messages I care about.”
As the state competition approaches, Saad is most excited to “represent my school and put myself out there.” His goal? To move the audience to reflect—not just listen.
“I hope my performance encourages reflection on purpose, creation, and the search for truth. I want the audience to leave thinking.”
Behind every standout performance is the guidance of a supportive educator. For Saad, that’s English teacher Ms. Emily Cushing, who sees Poetry Out Loud as a transformative experience for students.
“Poetry Out Loud is all about student voice,” she said. “Students choose three poems that speak to them from an anthology, and then they analyze, memorize, and perform them. To do this well, they have to truly understand the poems—down to punctuation, grammar, and theme. At the end, they’ve grown as public speakers, critical thinkers, and confident communicators.”
Ms. Cushing noted that Saad’s thoughtful approach to performance—right down to a last-minute poem change—set him apart, while also noting the contributions of other Delcastle and NCCVT leaders.
"Saad's performance of 'The Heart of the Tree' by Henry Cuyler Bunner was judged by a panel of judges: Mrs. Maslanka, our accuracy judge; Mr. Dorsey, the ELA supervsor, and Dr. Poore, the district's ELA/SS Instructional Specialists. Saad actually changed his poem only a week or so out from the competition to something that he liked better. Saad had thought through and adapted right up until the competition, taking feedback from Mrs. Toala, Delcastle's Poetry Out Loud co-coordinator, and myself. He thought of how he could really get the audience to understand his poem. He worked really hard, and it was evident in his performance."
As Saad prepares for the Delaware State Finals, the Delcastle community stands behind him—proud, inspired, and ready to cheer him on.