Additional photos below / Provided by Ada High School

By Paula Pyzik Scott

One Hundred and Eighteenth Annual Interclass Contest
Founded by Dr. C.H. Freeman
Ada High School Auditorium
March 22, 2024

Interclass–a scholastic competition for the Sophomore, Junior and Senior classes at Ada High School–is 118 years in the making but is not carved in stone. School librarian Chanda Smith told the Icon that the categories–original short story, original poetry, original essay and dramatic reading–have stayed the same, but judging of the first three was expanded.

University professors graded the writing of the stories, poetry and essays. The in-person judges, Denise D’Arca and Alexis Hannah, gave presentation grades. The two scores were then combined to determine the winners of each category.

Also new this year, essays were not read verbatim. Instead, the students made presentations using slides, which Smith called “a huge improvement.”

CONTINUES

For the first time, the English department secured funds from local donors including businesses to present scholarships to the winner, with $100 going to first place, $50 for second place and $25 for third place.

The overall winner for the competition was the senior class, which Smith notes was a group that had not won Interclass before. Individual winners were:

• Short Story “To Your Light I Will Succumb” by Jillian Hazelton, Senior
• Poetry “How Wrong They Are” by Abdallah Al-olimat, Senior
• Essay “Negative Body Image and Low Self Esteem in Teens” by Laenen Ulrey, Sophomore
• Dramatic Reading “And the Psych Ward Says” by Awo Akyeampong, Senior

A full listing of participants is below.

Preparation for the competition often begins with English classes in the fall. Students can revise work done for a class to create an interclass submission.

During the first intermission there was a Senior class skit on video and during the second intermission there were several short films made for Mr. Ames’ film and literature class.

The entire program was livestreamed on Facebook HERE.

Master of Ceremonies, Dakota Gossman, Student Council President

SHORT STORY

Jillian Hazelton "To Your Light I Will Succumb" - Senior

Lily Howard, "He Did It” - Sophomore

Victoria Rausch, "Food For Thought" - Junior

POETRY

Abdallah Al-olimat, "How Wrong They Are" - Senior

Marley Bulerin, "You Are Good Enough" - Sophomore

Isabella Klingler, "A Winter-Spring Morning" - Junior

Intermission - Senior class film and refreshments courtesy of Ada High School Student Council

ESSAY

Ashlyn Madison, "Are Mulan and Hua Zhou Really That Different?" - Senior

Laenen Ulrey, "Negative Body Image and Low Self Esteem in Teens" - Sophomore

Aeris Wever, "The Cruelty of Animal Testing" - Junior

DRAMATIC READING

Awo Akyeampong, "And the Psych Ward Says" - Senior

Luke Archer, "Monty Python Monologue" - Junior

From the film, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" 1975

Justin Bowden, "Forrest Gump Monologue" - Sophomore

From the film, "Forrest Gump" 1994

Intermission - Films from Mr. Ames' class and refreshments provided by Ada High School Student Council

Presentation of Individual Awards and Interclass Cup

2024 INTERCLASS JUDGES

Denise D'Arca, Professor Emeritus from ONU, business owner, Rotary member

Alexis Hannah, AHS alumni, Physician's Assistant at Lima Memorial Health System