Georgia's young poetry reciting champion has advanced to the final rounds in the national Poetry Out Loud recitation contest.

Elijah P. Orengo, 16, a sophomore at Westlake High School in Fulton County, emerged Monday as one of the top four poetry reciters in his region and will compete with 11 other students Tuesday night in the national finals.

Allen Sullivan/AJC (ENLARGE)

Elijah P. Orengo practices in his Atlanta bedroom for the Poetry Out Loud competition.

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Orengo, looking casual in brown corduroy trousers, sweater vest and untucked shirt, recited the wordy "Sentimental" by Albert Goldbarth, the popular "Beauty" by Tony Hoagland and William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 29."

"I'm so happy," Orengo said by telephone from the Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University. He judged as "awesome" his performances on "Sentimental" and "Sonnet 29" but said his rendition of "Beauty" needs work. He planned to practice for a few hours Monday night.

The student competitors are scheduled to visit the White House and also to enjoy lunch on Capitol Hill before the evening finals. The first-place finisher will win a $20,000 college scholarship.

This year some 200,000 high school students competed at the local and state levels in the national contest. Students memorize three poems, and their recitations are judged on accuracy, understanding and presentation. The contest is sponsored by the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.