Celebrating Romanticism: Ottawa Hills’ Annual Romantic Idol Tradition Lives On

Sophomores taking English with teachers Karen Fischer and Sara Eisenbaum have carried on the Romantic Idol tradition, which began at Ottawa Hills more than twenty years ago.

Through this event, students celebrate the significance of poetry from the Romantic literary movement and explore the works of renowned authors such as Felicia Dorothea Hemans, William Wordsworth, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Walt Whitman, Mary Shelley, John Keats, William Butler Yeats, Edgar Allan Poe, and Emily Dickinson. These writers shaped that literary era through their exploration of nature, individual emotion, imagination, and the supernatural.

Much like American Idol, contestants first compete in a series of in-class rounds before finalists are selected to present their interpretations to the entire student body. This year, the finalists captivated the audience by bringing these timeless themes to life on stage.

Winner: Jasmine Hajjar “The Sun” by Felicia Dorothea Hemans

First Runner Up: Ashleigh Speakman “We Are Seven” by William Wordsworth

Second Runner Up: Ethan Phillips “The Kraken” by Alfredl, Lord Tennyson

A heartfelt thank you to Karen Fischer, Sara Eisenbaum, and Darrin Broadway for organizing this inspiring event. Special appreciation goes to our Romantic Idol judges—Sahil Parikh, Avi Hanusz, and Josef Duley—as well as emcee Nina Clark. Additionally, we are grateful to the sound and light crew—Claire Hawkins, Catelin Hawkins, and Lowell Shreve—for ensuring a seamless production. Finally, a special thank you to the Ottawa Hills Schools Foundation for their generous financial support in keeping this cherished tradition alive.