TREADWELL – After 27 high school students recited original poems last Friday at the Share the Words 13th annual High School Poetry Competition, the Norwich High School team came out victorious.

The all-day competition took place in the Library & Internet Wing at Bright Hill Literary Center in Treadwell. It was the 10th year in a row that the Norwich team was awarded the top honors, and their coach, English teacher Richard Bernstein, was named Poetry Coach of the Year.

Three Norwich students took home $200 worth of savings bonds and prizes: Lane deCordova won first place and The Nicholas Alicino Award for a Performance Poem. Winning the Bright Hill Award for a Free Verse Poem Addressing Current Events was Josette Felicies; Jeff Wilkinson took second in that category.

Norwich High School poetry team members who also competed in the event were: Patricia McNeil, freshman; Jennifer Elder, senior; and Chelsea Trottier, also a senior. The winning team took home a traveling trophy and a permanent banner in school colors, inscribed with the names of team members and their coach.