Raton’s Rachel Patty Takes Poet Competition

By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

Raton High can be proud of another state winner in Rachel Patty, a 17 year old junior who was among 10 finalist at the Poetry Out Loud New Mexico State Finals.

The competition was held in Santa Fe at the New Mexico Museum of Art’s St. Francis Auditorium. Patty who visited with KRTN this week found herself in the top three of the competition. She was runner-up last year and really wasn’t expecting to do much better. However when the final votes were tallied Patty was surprised to learn she had won the competition. Patty’s winning poem was one she chose by Weldon Kees’ called “The Speakers” Patty told Robert Nott of the Santa Fe New Mexican that the poem amused her in a kind of way. 

Patty was among 10 finalist from schools around New Mexico and as a result of her winning will represent New Mexico in the national competition in late April in Washington DC. She will compete for a $20,000 scholarship. By winning the competition Raton High will also benefit with money to buy poetry books. 

Listen to the interview and poem by Rachel Patty