VE=NT

VE=NT stands for Voices Emerging=New Thunder. It is a slam poetry competition for middle school students. I began in 2006, starting off with about six teams from different schools in some junior high cafeteria. It was fairly informal but it ended up being a great jumping off point for the VE=NT competition. That year the overall poetry champions were the students on the Jefferson Slam Team.

In 2007 the second competition took place. Unlike in 2006, there were at least 30 different teams. The event had to be held at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. It lasted from midmorning ’till after dark and still the competition ended in a tie. There was no time for a tie-breaker round. Jefferson was one of the teams that tied for first.

Now, in 2008, the third anual VE=NT middle school slam competition is uppon us. The Jefferson team is completely prepared *knock on wood*. They’re trying to get support, but not many seem terribly interested in slam poetry. I find that odd because so many people like rap music and slam poetry is just good rap music without all the interference. The slam is on the 26th of April at the National Hispanic Cultural Center and it starts at about 11a.m.

http://www.myspace.com/ventpoetryfestival