MNSWA's SAY WORD! Youth Slam Leagueâ„¢

The MN Spoken Word Association (MNSWA) has launched an innovative new arts program called SAY WORD! YOUTH SLAM LEAGUE. This is a poetry and literacy initiative that has grown out of our huge success at other schools with residency programs over the past 5 years.
Just imagine slam poetry as a basketball season, or football season, track season, cross country season, baseball season, etc. We believe it is possible to have a league of various schools that compete on a regular basis, go through a season of competitions, with a final competitions to determine the city and state champions.
It is our goal to create the Youth Slam League, an after school initiative to provide space and opportunities for young poets, writers, and spoken word artists, to develop not only as writers but to gain experiences that will build communication skills, teamwork, discipline, literacy skills, self-esteem, and a social consciousness among the youth. We envision the Youth Slam League, as an extra-curricular activity that can provide opportunities for students who feel they can best express themselves through poetry, or want to be better writers, or simply need to express their voice.
The Youth Slam League was created by e.g. bailey, in order to foster the art form of Spoken Word, the tradition of poetry and literary advancement, among the youth, and within the educational system. This program is copywritten and is being administered by the MN Spoken Word Association.
Empowering Youth Voices Thru Poetry.
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HIGH SCHOOL STANDINGS:
TeamWinLossScore
Harding High (Ha H) :::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1 :::::::::::: 4 ::::::::::: 446.9 :::::::
High School for Recording Arts (HSRA) ::::: 2 :::::::::::: 3 ::::::::::: 556.8 :::::::
Highland High (Hi H) :::::::::::::::::::::::::::3 :::::::::::: 2 ::::::::::: 402.5 ::::::::
Patrick Henry (PH) :::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 5 :::::::::::: 0 ::::::::::: 574 ::::::::::
Perpich (P) ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 2 :::::::::::: 3 ::::::::::: 561.2 :::::::
Roosevelt (R) :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 2 :::::::::::: 3 ::::::::::: 535.2 :::::::
INDIVIDUALS: Phillip Morley (Hi H) [258.9]; Jamie MacPherson (Hi H) [199.5]; Ashley Criss, aka Yaya (HSRA) [172.2]; Traverty Otto (P) [140.5]; Jamelious Williams, aka Blaze (HSRA) [140.4]; Cutler Dozier (P) [116.3]; Anton Lewis, aka A Poet (PH) [115.6]; Rasheed Johnson (Ha H) [112.7]; Leosha Bellfield, aka Lyrical Lee (R) [112.7]; Tamika Scott (R) [112.3]; James Patterson (Ha H) [111.4]; Elisa Rivas (P) [110.8]; Melissa Velasquez, aka Flaca (HSRA) [106.8]; Ben Shea (P) [106.8]; Peter Chestnut, aka Twitch (P)[89.5]; Joua Lee (PH)[87.9]; Acacia Gammage, Casey (R)[86.8]; Melissa Vang (PH)[85.3]; Deshawn Maxwell (PH) [84.2]; Gayle Smaller (PH) [83.7]; Sterling Cunningham (R) [82.9], Mercedes Moore (HSRA) [80.6]; Doris A (Ha H) [57.2]; Amatullah Muhammad, aka Flow (HSRA) [56.9]; Katy Cashman (P) [56.6]; Anthony J (R) [56.2]; Donna (Hi H) [55.9]; DAvid Krueger (P) [55.5]; Reggie Smither (R) [54.8]; Antonio Bryant, aka Kane (HSRA) [54.2]; Maryama Green (Ha H) [30]; Caitlin Hill (PH) [30]; Kyra C (Hi H) [29.8]; Amira Bady (PH) [29.8]; Raevon Conner (PH) [29.3]; Sarah L (P) [29.2]; Nathaniel (Ha H) [28.3]; Lora Fike (P) [28.3]; Elizabeth Sims (R) [28.3]; William ? (HSRA) [28.2]; Shaya Stewart (PH) [28.2]; Hallan Farah (R) [28.2]; Joel F (P) [27.9]; Davy V (P) [27.7]; Ana Yang (Ha H) [27.5]; Mai Tong Xiong (Ha H) [27.4]; Mai Kue Vang (Ha H) [26.5]; May Vang (Ha H) [25.9]; Elizabeth (HSRA) [25.7]
MIDDLE SCHOOL STANDINGS:
TeamWinLossScore
Marcy Open School (M) ::::::::::::::::::::::: 2 :::::::::::: 1 :::::::::::: 341.9 ::::::
Northeast Middle School (N) :::::::::::::::::: 1 :::::::::::: 2 :::::::::::: 338.0 ::::::
INDIVIDUALS: Devon Fitzpatrick (M) [115.9]; Jafaria Listenbee (N) [115.3]; Elena Anderson (N) [112.6]; Kayla Dimock (N) [110.4]; Nikko Spencer-Mura (M) [86.7]; Steve M (M) [86.2]; Marquis (M) [ 57.5]; Anthony D (N) [56.1]; Crystal Lamm (M) [28.1]; Antonio Ferguson (M) [27.5]
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VIDEOS FROM YOUTH SLAM LEAGUE BOUTS! Check out the amazing work by these young poets that participated in the 2006 Youth Slam League season. This is only from one bout - HSRA vs. Roosevelt, from a 4 month season, so just think of how much amazing poetry was spit by these incredible youth. More videos to come. Thanks to Mandy P (of HSRA) for shooting the video. Big ups! Say what? SAY WORD! Say what? SAY WORD! Youth Slam League.
HSRA student, YAYA, performs at a YSL bout.
Roosevelt student, TAMIKA, performs at YSL bout.
HSRA student, FLACA, performs at YSL bout.
Roosevelt student, ANTHONY J, performs at YSL bout.
MNSWA's Youth Liberation Poet, Ryan K, performs at YSL bout.
Youth Slam League POETS CIRCLE - Before every bout, all the poets gather to meet and support each other. Our goal is to inspire, develop and create opportunities for young poets; and the Youth Slam League is a way to get there. The focus is less on the competition and more on the poetry. So as we say in Slam, "The point is not the points, the point is poetry!"