A Pinecrest student is now the state champion after earning top honors at the “Poetry Out Loud” contest held in Greensboro this past weekend.

Profiled in last Friday’s Pilot, Casey Goggin earned first prize Saturday in what teacher Libby Carter called “his wonderful weekend.”

“We congratulate Pinecrest sophomore Casey Goggin on his incredible success,” Carter said. “Casey represented Moore County at this past Saturday's state competition of the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Competition, and he claimed the title spot as state champion.”

Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, Casey received a $200 prize and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D. C. in April to compete for the national title. Carter, his sponsoring teacher, received a $500 prize to purchase poetry and literature books for her classroom.

Read more in Wednesday's edition of the Pilot.