LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Nine students from Lower Lake High School participated in the Poetry Out Loud competition this February.

Poetry Out Loud is a National Recitation Contest Program that is supported by the Lake County Arts Council here locally.

Students who participated were Romeo Barrientos, Juan Castro, Monica Cordova, Perla Gutierrez, Sophia La Rosa, Jenny Landeta, Alya Owadat and Hanzel PelCastre.

The competition took place at the Lower Lake High School Library. The scores were tallied and the winners announced.

"Congratulations to Jenny Landeta, this year's winner, to Alya Owaidat as runner up and to Sophia La Rose, Lake County's second runner up. Jenny, I know you will do us proud at the State Competition in Sacramento,” Shelby Posada, executive director of the Lake County Arts Council, in a letter dated Feb. 20.

All three winners received cash awards and Landeta will be sent on an all-expense-paid trip to the competition at the State Capitol on March 15 and 16.