The assignment was to select a poem from a poet whose last name started with the same first letter as your own.

So Sarah Pyles, a senior in the AP Literature and Composition class, chose Carl Phillips.

The poem she selected was “Luna Moth.’’

No eye that sees could fail to remark you:  

like any leaf the rain leaves fixed to and   

flat against the barn’s gray shingle

Sarah was named the winner of last week’s Poetry Out Loud competition. The announcement was made on Friday, the day after her 18th birthday. She will advance to the Poetry Out Loud regional competition on Feb. 19.

“It feels good. I totally wasn’t expecting to win,’’ Sarah said.

Senior, Hailey Firlotte was the runner-up. Her poem was “Retired Ballerinas, Central Park West,” by Lawrence Monsanto Ferling.

Other seniors competing were A.J. Stevenson, Shaw London, Sabina Ajjan, Jack Miscall and Nora Jorgensen, along with junior, James Burrell.