GMC Prep wins State Literary Competition

Georgia Military College Prep School (GMC Prep) won first place in the Single-A Public division of the State Literary Competition on March 25.

GMC Prep hosted 28 high schools for the State Literary Championship. The event is highly competitive and showcases the best literary talent from high schools across Georgia. The competition consists of 12 categories: Girls Solo, Boys Solo, Girls Trio, Boys Quartet, Humorous Acting, Dramatic Acting, Duo Acting, Extemporaneous Speaking Domestic, Extemporaneous Speaking International, Literary Analysis Essay, Argumentative Essay, and Personal Essay.

This is GMC Prep’s sixth year in a row hosting the event and its eighth consecutive year winning the state title. GMC Prep students qualified and competed in all 12 areas of the competition bringing home six individual state titles, in addition to the team championship, and six state runners-up.

“It’s the students’ background in our fine arts classes to their beginnings in elementary school that lead to their success,” said Mark Weaver, GMC Prep School fine arts director. “We take literacy very seriously and co-director for literary, Jenny Morris, and I do well to split competitions up to assist with coaching.”

Assistant Fine Arts Director Jenny Morris assists Weaver to pick the best students for each competition and help students prepare for the upcoming events. Going into the regional competition, both directors ensure that every competition is entered.

“The key to success is to compete in everything that is offered because that is the way you take as many competitions as you can to state. The more events you are in also adds to the points to the overall team if a student or team wins,” said Weaver. “This approach has worked since 2015.”

Weaver believes that the Georgia High School Association noticed this understanding and seriousness towards the competition which led them to allowing GMC to host the competition. However, due to hosting the event, Weaver regrets that during the competition he nor Morris get quality time with the students as other coaches might.

“We are busy making sure things run smoothly while our students compete. That just shows the strength, resilience and perseverance our students have during the competition and their dedication to literary excellence,” said Weaver. ”Our students work so hard individually to prepare and, while we build on that preparation, it’s their diligence and hard work that helps them achieve greatness each year.”

This year’s students who won titles included:

• GirlsSolo,EmersonIvey-State Champion

• Trio,AbigailJohnson,EmersonIvey, Jacie Hartzog – State Champions

• InternationalExtemporaneous Speaking, Shriyansh Parekh – State Champion

• DuoInterpretation,WyattBaughand Alexis Waldroup – State Champions

• DramaticInterpretation,Nikki Cumba – State Champions

• HumorousInterpretation,Cheyanne Dixon – State Champion

• BoysSolo,NathanSimpson–State Runner Up

• Quartet,WyattBaugh,KenyonShy, Maddox Raburn, Nathan Simpson – State Runner Up

• DomesticExtemporaneousSpeaking, Emma Kate Godin – State Runner Up

• ArgumentativeEssay,William Steinfeld – State Runner Up

• PersonEssay,TuckerIvey–State Runner Up

• LiteraryAnalysisEssay,HelenChow– State Runner Up Weaver expressed that he is so proud of each student and hopes to see GMC Prep’s literary achievements continue to grow.

“I just hope we keep growing our fine arts from elementary through high school. These developments lay the foundation for what our students can achieve and their interest in the literary arts,” said Weaver. “We are incredibly proud of our students’ achievements and are proud to honor their accomplishments.”