The Board of Directors and administrative staff of Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation announced the winners of the 2026 County Final of the Miriam Lutcher Stark Contest in Reading and Declamation.
On Feb. 3, students who had previously won first place at the various local level competitions held at each of the five Orange County public high schools competed in the categories of Declamation and Interpretive Reading at the County Final held at the Lutcher Theater, according to a news release.
Bridge City High School’s Madeleine Doyle won first place in Declamation and Austin Hathaway won first place in Interpretive Reading. Both students received a $6,500 scholarship for their first-place awards. For her declamation, Doyle presented “Ambition is Not a Dirty Word” by Reese Witherspoon. Hathaway’s reading was from “Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket” by Jack Finney. Each of these first place winners won a total of $9,000 in scholarships including the $2,500 they won at the local level.
Second place in Declamation went to Devan Eason from Orangefield High School for her delivery of “A Whisper of AIDS” by Mary Fisher. Brynlee South, also from Orangefield High School, took second place in Interpretive Reading with her reading from "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll. Each second-place winner received a $3,500 scholarship. Both first and second-place winners were also presented with plaques.
Jennifer Staton, president and CEO of the Stark Foundation, presented all County Final contestants with commemorative watches, a long-held tradition of the Stark Reading Contest.
“Ninety-two students participated in the school-level competitions this year, and the amount of talent and preparation was truly remarkable,” said Tabitha Henderson, coordinator of the Stark Reading Contest. “We want to congratulate the county winners, all local level winners and all finalists for their outstanding accomplishments. Many thanks go to the local school directors - Ron Chevalier (Orangefield High School), Melanie Claybar (Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School), Mason Franco (West Orange-Stark High School), Hannah Landry (Bridge City High School) and Stacy Webb (Vidor High School). Their efforts are critical in making this program a success.”
Founded in 1904 by Miriam Lutcher Stark, the Stark Reading and Declamation Contest was created to promote literacy and public speaking among high school students in Orange. With more than 70 years of support from H.J. Lutcher, Nelda Stark and the Stark Foundation, the contest became a pillar of academic excellence in the community.
Today, the contest is held annually at all five public high schools in Orange County, featuring two categories: interpretive reading and declamation. Students compete in school-level preliminary and final rounds, with first-place winners advancing to a county-wide final for the chance to earn larger scholarships. Winners at both the school and county levels receive scholarship awards.
"The Stark Reading Contest is one of the Foundation’s most treasured and enduring programs," said Staton. "Remarkably, the contest has continued uninterrupted for more than a century, even through world wars, the Great Depression and the COVID-19 pandemic. We are proud to invest in these exceptional young people and celebrate their achievements alongside their families, teachers and schools."
This year, the Stark Reading and Declamation Contest awarded more than $65,000 in scholarships to students of Orange County.
For more information about the Miriam Lutcher Stark Contest in Reading and Declamation, visit starkfoundation.org.