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Slam Finals

Rochester Team Finalists in International Teen Poetry Slam

Slam High @ Writers & Books took Rochester into the final five showcase competition at Brave New Voices 2008: The 11th Annual International Youth Poetry Slam Festival, having advanced through three rounds of competition as high scorers among 45 teams over a four day period. Held in a different city each year, Brave New Voices is a youth literary conference that combines Slam competitions with workshops and activities, giving participants the opportunity to explore a new cultural landscape and region while learning more about how to build sustainable spoken word poetry programming for teens in their home locales.This year’s festival included a poetic protest at the White House, guest speakers: Amiri Baraka, Umar Bin Hassan of The Last Poets, Sonia Sanchez, Robert Redford and 450 poets from around the United States, Hawaii, Caribbean andUK.

This is Rochester’s second year invited and this year’s 2008 teamconsists of Charnequa Cook (Wilson High Graduate), Mike Gerbino (W. Irondequoit Graduate), Odyssey Harris (Edison Tech, Senior), Sharese King (School of the Arts Graduate), Elliot Powless (Edison Tech, Junior),and Shanterra Randle (Wilson HighGraduate) coached by Reenah Golden and Robert Ricks. The teens won their spot on the team in April at the 2nd Annual Grand Slam Off, a competition among 24 finalists from ninehigh schoolsfrom throughout the county. They shared the final Brave New Voicesstage with teams representing Philadelphia (2007 Champion), New York City (2007 Finalist), Chicago (early home for the Slam poetry movement), and with a team representing the State of Hawaii. The event was filmed by HBO to be aired as part of eight documentary segments that will begin airing in January 2009 on Brave New Voices and the youth poetry slam movement.

“This experience is life changing!” Said Sharese King. “It was like a spiritual retreat, I feel so blessed to have been a part of it.”

The team will celebrate their homecoming by showcasing the work they performed in Washington D.C. this Friday at 7 p.m. at Writers & Books at 740 University Avenue. The public is invited. There will be $5 suggested donation to help defray team expenses. Light refreshments to follow.

The team is also available for performance and workshop programs. For booking or more information contact Reenah Golden at slamhigh@frontiernet.net or 473-2590 x200.

Senior Poets support Slam High Teens for Travel

This weekend, the Summer Slamathon Champions sent the 2008 Rochester Slam High Teen Poetry Team off from Writers & Books to Washington D.C. with some added travel expense money.

The team leaves today to represent Rochester at Brave New Voices 2008: The 11th Annual International Youth Poetry Slam Festival.

$300 was raised in the Slamathon, held Friday night at the Writers & Books Verb Cafe. A scholarship from Youth Speaks, the conference presenter, and an anonymous $1,500 donation have covered most of the team’s expenses.

At the Slamathon, first place went to Almeta Whitis for her inspirational and lyrical piece. Whitis, a nationally acclaimed storyteller, has recently returned to Rochester. Shana King, a communications student at St. John Fisher, took second with a more traditional slam poem. Third Place went to Don Gordon, a longtime member of the Arnett Library Senior Wordcrafters, for an eerie pantoum, an elaborately repetitive form popularized in nineteenth-century Europe.

Teen team members; Mike Gerbino, Odyssey Harris, Sharese King, Shanterra Randle and Elliot Powless judged the six adult competitors. E-Dot (the stage name of Elliot Powless) appreciated the poetry as well as the warm send-off. “I always learn from hearing different kinds of poetry.”

While the scores were being tallied, the four girls on the teen team moved the audience greatly with the premiere of their ensemble piece, Amber Alert, which they will enter into competition in Washington.

Held in a different city each year, Brave New Voices gives participants the opportunity to explore a new cultural landscape and region while helping to build sustainable spoken word poetry programming for teens in their home locales.

The Rochester team is coached by Reenah Golden and Robert Ricks. The teens won their spot on the team in the 2nd Annual Grand Slam Off, a competition among 24 finalists from their schools, held in the spring. Slam High is a program of Writers & Books, sponsored by University of Rochester Warner Graduate School of Education, the Partners for Arts in Education School Arts Partnership, New York State Council on the Arts and individual donors.

The Rochester Teen Poets Win Second Place in the Regional Teen Slam!    

The Rochester Teen Poets traveled to New York City on Saturday, June 14th to compete in the Northeast Regional Teen Slam. The six-poet team placed second in their preliminary against UrbanWord NYC, Providence, RI, and City University of New York. They advanced to a final head-to-head bout against UrbanWord NYC, New Jersey and Philadelphia where they placed second to Philadelphia, the 2007 National championship team.

The Rochester team, housed at Writers & Books, is made up of students from various high schools that competed in the Rochester Grand Slam Off on April 26th: Charnequa Cook (Wilson High, Senior), Mike Gerbina (W. Irondequoit, Senior), Odyssey Harris (Edison Tech, Senior), Elliot Powless (Edison Tech, Junior), and Shanterra Randle (Wilson High, Senior) coached by Reenah Golden and Robert Ricks.     

Throughout the event which was sponsored by UrbanWord at the historic Nuyorican Poets Café in Manhattan’s lower east side, the Rochester team also registerd new voters as part of their “one mic. ond vote.” campaign. Afterwards the teams went out for pizza, bonding, poetry ciphers and an exhilarating discussion of poetry and politics.    

The coaches were very pleased with the results. “Traveling outside of Rochester to allow these young poets to share and experience the power of spoken word continues to be one of our most fulfilling experiences at Slam High. I think the teens get so much out of hearing other teens create art and address issues and having audiences hear and respond to their personal contributions as well,” said Reenah Golden who founded the program and serves as Artistic Director.    

Next stop: Washington, D.C! The teens head to the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival, July 15 – 20 as one of 60 invited teams competing and participating in a weeklong conference hosted by YouthSpeaks and to be filmed by HBO. The team also continues to perform and fundraise locally. If you would like to contribute to the expenses for this exceptional group of teenagers and help underwrite their travel, their training, and local appearances, you can send a check to: Writers & Books, “Slam High,” 740 University Avenue, 14607 or call the front desk (585) 473-2590 x 107 to charge it. DVDs are now available for the 2nd Annual Rochester Grand Slam Off at Hochstein. Get your copy today for $15!! To learn more, visit: www.wab.org <http://www.wab.org>  and click “Teen Slam.” To book the team for your event, write: slamhigh@frontiernet.net.       

The 2008 Slam High Team has been chosen and are ready for bookings for your event. Please email Reenah Golden @ slamhigh@frontiernet.net call 473-2590 x 10_?? for bookings.

Team ‘08

Charnequa Cook (Wilson High, Senior)
Elliott Powless (Edison Tech, Junior)
Mike Gerbino (West Irondequoit, Senior)
Odyssey Harris (Edison Tech, Senior)
Shanterra Randle (Wilson High, Senior)
Sharese King (School of the Arts, Senior)

Additional 2008 Finalists who may perform:
Agapé Towns (East High, Junior)
Allen Williams (School of the Arts, Senior)
Ja’Daiza Johnson (Brockport High, Junior)
Kara Alexander (School of the Arts, Senior)

Coach/Artistic Director, Reenah Golden
Assistant Coach, Robert Ricks


Additional funding and support has been provided by
University of Rochester Warner Graduate School of Education, Teen Empowerment and Partners for Arts Education


Upcoming Appearances

Westside Farmer’s Market, 841 Genesee Street - Tuesdays, 6-8pm

3/31, 10 – 3 pm Salon De Mayo @ Westside Farmer’s Market, 841 Genesee Street

6/7, 1:00pm Aberdeen Square Fair, Aberdeen Square Park

6/14, 3 – 6 pm 2nd Annual Northeast Regional Teen Poetry Slam, Nuyorican Poets Café (New York, NY)

7/3, 6 – 8pm, 10TH Annual Maafa: Day of Remembrance “To Build a Better Come-Unity, Durand Eastman Park-Shoreline

7/14-7/19 Brave New Voices 11th Annual International Youth Poetry Slam Festival (Washington, D.C.)

If you would like to contribute to the expenses for this exceptional group of teenagers and help underwrite their travel, their training, and local appearances, make a donation by check to:
Writers & Books, "SLAM HIGH," 740 University Avenue, 14607 or to charge it call the front desk (585) 473-2590 x107

2nd Annual Rochester Grand Slam Off at Hochstein DVD now available!
Get your copy today at the Writers & Books Bookstore. $15 +plus tax!!

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