Nico Mucchetti ’28 Advances to Delaware Poetry Out Loud Competition

On October 29, ten finalists took that work to the stage for Sanford’s annual schoolwide competition, performing their two chosen poems and competing for the opportunity to represent Sanford at the Delaware State Competition. 

From thoughtful interpretations to expressive recitations, each student brought something distinctly their own to the stage. When the final scores were tallied, Nico Mucchetti ’28 earned first place, with Nora Xu ’29 taking second and Yasmeen Saiyad ’29 placing third.

Reflecting on the preparation behind his performance, Nico shared: “Poetry Out Loud is an amazing opportunity that we get every year. I'm so grateful to have been chosen to move on to the state competition this year. I started preparation by choosing a poem that I not only enjoyed but felt I could put emotion and heart into. I worked to memorize it and make my performance as thought out as possible in order to not change anything during the final performance!”

Nico will advance to the Delaware State Finals on February 20, 2027, at the Smyrna Opera House. For those who missed the live event, the performances are available on Sanford’s YouTube channel: Poetry Out Loud 2026!

Congratulations to all ten finalists, and shoutout to Campbell Eckard ’27 and Jacob Lyons ’28 for lending their voices as event emcees!

First Place: Nico Mucchetti ’28
Second Place: Nora Xu ’29
Third Place: Yasmeen Saiyad ’29

Semifinalists: Logan Cross ’30, Addie Fleming ’30, Quinn Stinson ’29, Andi Ayres ’28, Elliott Rivera ’28, Katherine McCrea ’27, and Charlotte McLeod ’27.

Learn more about the Delaware Poetry Out Loud competition.