WORD UP! 2014 Showcases Teen Poets
The excitement was palpable in the packed Arrington
Auditorium as emcee Jim Reed genially welcomed the crowd. This was the seventh
year for the competition which allows Jefferson County teenagers to showcase
their poetry writing and performance skills. Students in grades 9 through
12 write and perform an original work of poetry inspired by a theme selected by
the WORD UP! planning committee. This year’s theme was “community.”
Earlier this year, participating high schools held preliminary contests at
their schools, and the first and second place winners competed at WORD UP!.
The performances were over, and the winners were proclaimed:
first place and $300 went to Eboni Wallace of Tarrant; this was the third year
in a row that Eboni had received this honor. Second place and $200
went to Miaya Webster of the Alabama School of Fine Arts. Miaya had won third
place at last year’s competition. And there was a tie for third place; Jeralyn Lankford
of Clay-Chalkville and Brianna Whittsett of McAdory shared that spot, and each was awarded $150.
In all, twelve high schools were represented at the event. The schools included: Birmingham’s Wenonah and
Woodlawn; Jefferson County’s Clay-Chalkville, McAdory, Minor, and Shades Valley/Jefferson
County International Baccalaureate School; Alabama School of Fine Arts;
Hewitt-Trussville; Holy Family Cristo Rey; Leeds, Tarrant, and Vestavia.
Word UP! 2014 was made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Word UP! 2014 was made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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