Middle schooler wins Tongue Twister Tournament

This year’s winner was Brooke Johnson, a Hood River Middle School student, who prevailed with a close 156-153 point margin, based on the total score from six tongue twisters. In the final round Johnson edged Genevieve Scholl, Port of Hood River special projects coordinator.

Venue 301 (formerly Butler Bank) hosted the event, a benefit for the SMART literacy program, an independent non-profit that partners with Hood River schools and the Head Start programs to offer one-on-one reading time between youngsters and volunteer readers.

Johnson won with a perfectly-delivered, “Of all the felt I ever felt I never felt felt that felt like that felt felt.”

Scholl tripped up on the final tongue twister of the night, “Give Papa a proper cup of coffee in a copper coffee cup.”

Also competing were Johnson’s classmate, Luke Southall, thespian Tom Burns, CGCC student Bailey McManus, Scoutmaster Nick Kirby, School Board Chair Dr. David Russo, HRVHS senior Hannah Hart, and defending champion Morgan Graves, an HRVHS junior.

Judges were Don Benton, Kristin Reese, and Luke McMillan, who sang an opera tongue-twister.

Food was provided by Full Sail and Boda’s Kitchen, and the sound system by Your Party and Rental Center and Riverside Community Church. Primary sponsors were Umpqua Bank and Walmart.