BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The 49th annual Kern County Oral Language festival took place Saturday with nearly 300 students performing in front of a panel of judges.
The competition took place at Stonecreek Jr. High School.
Presentations were 3-5 minutes in length with grades 4-6 and grades 7-8 competing separately. Categories of competition were: Verse Choir, Humorous Interpretation Solo, Humorous Interpretation Duo, Serious Interpretation Solo and Serious Interpretation Duo.
The following first through third place finishers were announced:
Grades 4-6
Serious Interpretation Solo
1st — Liam McCauley from Buena Vista Elementary School
2nd — Jordan Kennedy from Olive Drive Elementary School
3rd — Armindev Bhatti from La Vina Middle School
Humorous Interpretation Solo
1st — Elle Valpredo from St. John’s Lutheran School
2nd — Jazmin Valencia from Casa Loma Elementary School
3rd — Anastasiya Rodriguez from Quailwood Elementary School
Serious Interpretation Duo
1st — Sophie O’Connell and Tanvi Thallapalle from St. John’s Lutheran School
2nd — Rilynn Arnoldus and Janie Selvey from Thorner Elementary School
3rd — Morgan Pattison and Sarah Ullyott from Patriot Elementary School
Humorous Interpretation Duo
1st — Trent Antongiovanni and Zach Jockers from Centennial Elementary School
2nd —Marley Hernandez and Keyla Rodriguez from Pauly Elementary School
3rd — Johnny Foster and J.J. Lopez from Olive Drive Elementary School
Verse Choir
1st — Isaac De Jesus, Joseph Frank III, Diego Garcia, Bella Maria Perez Soto, Isabella Thomas, and Samantha Wilson from Owens Intermediate School
2nd — Natalie Aziz, Camilo del Rosario, Maggie Meshreky, Justin Mokri, Jadon Valpredo, and Ben Wisnoff from St. John’s Lutheran School
3rd — Mallory Ashe, Wyatt Bassett, Lucas Fitzgerald, Lucy Forsyth, and Riley Taft from Stockdale Elementary School
Grades 7/8
Serious Interpretation Solo
1st — Seneca Corral from Stiern Middle School
2nd — Morgan Reed from Tevis Jr. High School
3rd — Tu Trong from Warren Jr. High School
Humorous Interpretation Solo
1st — Ashely Dreyer from St. John’s Lutheran School
2nd — Elizabeth Plank from Warren Jr. High School
3rd — Bree Goesman from McKee Middle School
Serious Interpretation Duo
1st — Reese Dover and Lulu Jouda from St. John’s Lutheran School
2nd — Pishoy Resk and Riley Truong from Warren Jr. High School
3rd — Rossi Moe and Madelynne Murray from Freedom Middle School
Humorous Interpretation Duo
1st — Joelle Jouda and Samya Sharma from St. John’s Lutheran School
2nd — Megan Bloemhof and Jude Maldanado from Maple School
3rd — Susana Zaragoza and Gillian Zuniga from Cecil Avenue Math & Science Academy
Verse Choir
1st — Charles Gless, Seema Kalha, Lucie Khuu, Mary Kim Park, Benjamin Roh, and Anneliese Sullivan from St. John’s Lutheran School
2nd — Addysen Eggers, Graciela Leui, Addison Ramey, and Aubrey Thompson from Rosedale Middle School
3rd — Devansh Anand, Krrish Kapadia, Anum Khan, Ananya Komireddy, Nidhi Pandya, and Eshaan Sidhu from Warren Jr. High School.
