https://youtu.be/vV3uBk7tmBA

By DEEP PATEL, Gazebo Assistant Editor

Videography by Dylan Quintal

Stratford’s Literary team recently placed fourth in the state for the Class A private school division. The all-day competition, hosted by Stratford at Wesleyan College, took place on March 12.

Composed of speakers, writers, actors, and singers, several Stratford students placed in their divisions at state.

Senior Asa Marshall won first place for dramatic interpretation. This is his third year participating in literary. He continues his reign after receiving second in state last year when he helped his literary team take first.

“If I could have told myself three years ago that I would finally win state my senior year, it would have made pacing around my room and frantically studying lines significantly less stressful,” he said.

Marshall points out that “the difference between literary team and sports competitions is that in literary, you really don’t know who is going to win. Each contestant has a different style in interpreting their speech or song, and it’s up to just two people to judge who performed the most consistently, enthusiastically, and cleanly.”

Singer Savannah Alday was second and extemporaneous speaker Rushabh Patel was third. Essayist Zainab Siddiqui, oral interpreter Meredith Fuchs and duo Grace Deedrick and  Katie King all finished fourth in their categories.