Junior Nicholas Ribas took first overall in the National English Honor Society’s Annual Shakespeare Monologue Competition, performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.”

Senior Mackenzie Alberts finished second performing a monologue from “King Henry VI,” and sophomore Brady Andrews took third with his performance from “Macbeth.”

The competition, held on Thursday, Jan. 30, had over 60 participants, and the top 10 individuals performed their monologues in front of an audience of their peers and faculty judges during a finale, held in the Chapel of the Holy Family. Participants were judged on the accuracy of their monologue, as well as the overall quality of their performance. The judges for this year’s competition included: Mr. Reid Sinclair, mathematics teacher; Mrs. Wendy Kalis, English teacher; Mr. Dan Marguriet, English teacher; and Mr. Steve Puryear, dean of student affairs. 

As the competition winner, Ribas won a $40 Target gift card and is now eligible to compete in a local district monologue competition, where he will have the chance to earn a spot in the 37th Annual English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition on Monday, April 27. If Ribas qualifies for the National Shakespeare Competition, he will have the opportunity to compete against some of the nation’s most exceptional students for professional theater training opportunities, as well as scholarship prizes.