Students participate in annual poetry competition

The school held its ninth annual Poetry Performance Competition at 7 p.m. yesterday, February 12 in the Eagle Theatre. 

The event, hosted by the SLAM Poetry Club, was open to any student who chose to sign up. Tickets cost $3 at the door.

After English teacher Galen Rosenberg started the competition with a poem of his own, 22 students competed in front of a panel of 3 judges, including English teachers Kristen Tillim and Michael Moul and alumnus Elior Ilishah, ’09.

Each presentation was limited to a maximum of four minutes, and while contestants were given free range and style, students could not use props or music. 

“The main reason I signed up for the competition was to get my feelings out and have other people understand how I felt,” freshman Erick Avila said. “I was looking for someone who would understand me.”

Junior Mark Levin, senior Diana Chou and sophomore Milena Lacayo-Hernandez all received Honorable Mentions and a prize of $50 each. Senior Sean Armstrong received the Best Presentation Award and senior Jinjoo Lee received the Best Poem Award. Sean and Jinjoo each won $175.

“I would love to do it again,” Erick said. “While it was nerve-wracking at first, I gained both courage and confidence from watching the performances of other poets and standing up there on the stage by myself.”