For those who love poetry and public speaking, curriculum resource specialist Kimberly Turley will host an informational Poetry Slam meeting today, Feb. 15, in the media center.
“It’s a chance for students to express themselves and to let their voice be heard,” Turley said. “It is a positive way for students to express their feelings on current issues in the world and in school, and perform something they have written and not someone else’s work.”
While Poetry Out Loud, a separate poetry competition performed earlier in the year, allows students to recite other people’s work, the Poetry Slam provides students opportunities to recite their own work. This is also the school’s first time participating in a Poetry Slam.
“I like being able to express my ideas through an art form and [poetry] is intriguing to me,” sophomore Kate Revels said. “I enjoy it because I like rhyming, even though all poems don’t have to rhyme and it can be short but convey a lot of meaning and evokes feelings.”
To compete in the Poetry Slam, students need to write and memorize three poems. On March 15, students may participate in a poetry workshop, where teachers, faculty and other students can read and critique on their pieces.
On April 19, students will perform between first and fourth period in the auditorium. The competition consists of three rounds, where each student recites one of their poems each round. The judges consist of five randomly selected students in the audience for each round who judge on a scale from one to 10.
If one is unable to attend the informational meeting, contact Kimberly Turley or their English teacher. The winner of the school wide competition advances to the Orange County Poetry Slam at Oak Ridge High School in May.
“I’m excited for everyone to hear me and to write out my thoughts,” Revels said.