PARSIPPANY — The Northvail School Expressive Reading Team finished in first place in the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District competition. This is the first time in the 21 years of the competition that Northvail has taken the first place title. The 2015 team members include Syan Ghosh (overall third place), Olivia Chou, Ark Ouyang, Neil Mathew, Neel Godbole, and Mahi Desai. The Northvail students were coached by teachers, Lauren Hackett and Janet Cassetta.
“I didn’t care about me winning individually, I cared most about our team winning it together because it took a lot of practice and dedication of our teachers helping us at recess, and our parents helping us at home,” explained Syan Ghosh.
The annual Expressive Reading competition has students competing against their fifth-grade peers from each of the 10 Parsippany elementary schools. Each student chose a three-to five-minute piece of literature, which they practiced reading with expression, poise, good enunciation, pacing and eye contact.
During the competition, teacher-volunteers judged the students on seven characteristics during two rounds of competition. While the students adjourned for dinner with their parents and coaches, the results were tallied and the top-five scorers read their pieces one last time on stage in the auditorium. Northvail’s student, Syan Ghosh, was one of the five students to read his piece to the entire auditorium.
Trophies were awarded for fifth place, fourth place, third place, second place and first place. In addition, one reader from each school received a trophy for best performance in their individual school. Northvail School’s Olivia Chou was the reader with the best performance from Northvail. The school with the highest total scores receives the “Forensics Cup” trophy, which travels from school to school each year.
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