Five students from the Alameda High School (AHS) Poetry Club competed in the Unified Poetry Slam preliminary round in San Francisco on April 21. The poetry slam was hosted by Youth Speaks, a leading presenter of spoken word performance, education, and youth development programs. One AHS senior, three juniors, and two sophomores participated in the event. This is the third year the club has competed and the first year it advanced to finals!

The poems were performed on stage as “spoken word,” rather than being read on paper. There are six members of the poetry club (only five performed at the event). The event took place at Bayview Opera House. The AHS poetry team consists of Max, Cassie, Angelica, Grace, Maddie and Isabella.

April was national poetry month. Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month reminds the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters.

To read some of the team’s poems performed at the event, visit https://tinyurl.com/mr39aazc.