Slam poetry

Out Loud Poetry Slam Competition at the Wheeler Centre

By Illi Monahan (8K)

On September 4th, Year 8 students Lani Alexander and Grace Hunter, Georgia Barlow, Illi Monahan, Hamish Gunthorpe and Zachary Vardy competed in the Out Loud Youth Poetry Slam at the Wheeler Centre. The day was opened with our one and only Lee Pennefather from Year 10 who performed one of their enthralling poems about the tick of a watch.

Hamish and Zachary

Hamish and Zachary's first poem was about Donald Trump. The boys displayed amazing expression with their body language and their performance was very entertaining. The poem got them into the final round. They performed well and impressed everyone. For their last poem they performed a poem written about conspiracy theories. Even though they didn't win the whole competition for years 7-9, they came very close. They did a great job and showed a lot of talent.

Lani and Grace

Lani and Grace talked about the challenges of growing up. They mentioned how society puts a lot of importance on how we look, which can be tough for young people. They also understood that today's youth face even more difficulties in the world. They both highlighted that making mistakes is a normal part of growing up and learning right from wrong. They urged people to be kind and forgiving, rather than judging someone forever based on their past. Their words remind us that everyone can change and grow if given the chance.

Georgia

Georgia's poem beautifully compared the transformation of insects and amphibians to our own journey in life. She pointed out how we also go through a process of learning about ourselves and the world. As time goes on, we become more mature and stable, which is quite different from how we were when we were younger and less experienced. This shows how both nature and our lives have a remarkable ability to grow and change. 

Illi

Illi closed the year 7-9 division with her poem. Illi’s poem was about how during the teenage years, it can be tough to feel happy and focus on school. This is partly because companies target teens with ads, trying to make money by saying things like, "This product will fix your skin, you need to look a certain way." This puts pressure on families to spend a lot on clothes and makeup because teens worry about looking flawless all the time. Also, many teens spend too much time on their phones and social media, which can be really draining on their well-being.