Sophomores slam audience with poetry
Poetry Slam is an international event that attracts a lot of attention
The first ever Poetry Slam was held at Baldwin High School by the Pre-AP English/American Lit 10B. During seventh hour on Thursday, Jan. 19, sophomores in the Pre-AP/American Lit class demonstrated their poetry skills in front of an audience. A Poetry Slam is a nationwide contest that was started in 1984 and became an opportunity for nontraditional poets to use language and verse in a different and unique way.
The class had just finished “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards. To make a literary connection in a creative and expressive way, sophomores were asked to create a poem that would reflect early history sermons. They were trying to replicate early ways to express thoughts and emotions, but in a modern, contemporary way.
The Slam consisted of 23 sophomores with 12 different presentations, either a solo or a duet. All presentations were judge by high school students and teachers. Students voiced a variety of opinions from a lack of tolerance and understanding to dishonesty and a role models that are not fit to be role models.
Katherine Cook, the teacher of the Pre-AP behind the Poetry Slam, was very happy with what the students came up with.
“The Slam went really well,” Cook said. “The students did a wonderful job, especially having never done anything like this before. They should be very proud of what they accomplished. I know I am.”
Students were very excited to try this new way of creating a connection and being creative even if they were nervous to perform.
“I was really happy with our performance,” Sophomore Brenna Johnson said. “I was also impressed with all of the work that my classmates came up with and presented. Some was humorous and some was serious. We had a wide variety of really good poetry. All my classmates should be proud of what we accomplished.”
In fact a blog will be created as a way to get the sophomores poetry out to the rest of the Baldwin Community. With this year’s slam being such a success, Cook hopes to continue the project and put on another slam next year with her class.
