Birmingham Public Library Blog

Erika Wade won first prize in the Birmingham Public Library’s WORD UP! poetry slam for two consecutive years. In celebration of the event’s fifth year, she returns to WORD UP! 2012 as a judge for the competition. WORD UP!, a poetry slam for high school students who are enrolled in schools—or homeschooled—throughout Jefferson County, celebrates its fifth anniversary this year. The event will be held on Sunday, April 1, at 3:00 p.m. in the Richard Arrington, Jr. Auditorium at the Central Library located at 2100 Park Place. The slam is sponsored by the Birmingham Public Library (BPL). 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. In keeping with the spirit of this year’s anniversary, the theme for WORD UP! 2012 is “milestones.” Each participating high school holds a preliminary contest, and the winners from each school compete in the WORD UP! competition. The contestants are judged on content ...

The 2015 WORD UP! winners left to right:  Trinity Packer, Shades Valley High School (3rd place) Whitney McWilliams, Alabama School of Fine Arts (2nd place) Miaya Webster,  Alabama School of Fine Arts (1st place) The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) is inviting young poets in Jefferson County to participate in WORD UP!, a poetry slam for students enrolled in high schools—or homeschooled—in Jefferson County. The ninth annual event will be held on Sunday, April 10, at 3:00 p.m., in the Arrington Auditorium at the Central Library . The slam is sponsored by BPL and Real Life Poets , a non-profit creative writing organization based in Birmingham. 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. The theme for WORD UP! 2016 is “Speak Out!” Visit the WORD UP! webpage for details at http://www.jclc.org/wordup.aspx . Each participating high school holds a preliminary contest, and the...

WORD UP! 2014 winners: (left to right) 3rd Place Winner, Jeralyn Langford,  Clay-Chalkville High school; 2nd Place Winner, Kayln Miaya Webster, Alabama School of Fine Arts; 1st Place Winner, Eboni Wallace, Tarrant High School WORD UP!, the poetry slam for high school students who are enrolled in schools—or home schooled—in Jefferson County, celebrates its eighth anniversary this year. The event will be held on Saturday, April 11, at 3:00 p.m. in the Richard Arrington, Jr. Auditorium at Central Library . This slam is sponsored by the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) and Real Life Poets (RLP), a non-profit creative writing organization based in Birmingham. 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. The theme for WORD UP! 2015 is “Survive.” Each participating high school holds a preliminary contest, and the winners from each school compete in the WORD UP! competition....

2015 WORD UP! winners are (from left to right) Trinity Packer, Third Place Winner; Whitney McWilliams, Second Place Winner; and Miaya Webster, First Place Winner Sixteen young poets, representing high schools from throughout Jefferson County, gave heartfelt performances during the 2015 WORD UP! poetry competition. Over 100 people were in attendance. They clapped and gave “shout outs” to show their appreciation for the extraordinary performances. WORD UP! is a poetry slam for high school students enrolled in schools—or home schooled—in Jefferson County. Sponsored by the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) System and Real Life Poets (RLP), the event was held on Saturday, April 11, at 3:00 p.m. in the Richard Arrington, Jr. Auditorium of BPL’s Central Library. Students in grades 9 through 12 wrote and performed an original work of poetry inspired by a theme selected by the WORD UP! planning committee. The theme for this year’s WORD UP! was “Survive.” Each participating high school ...

First place winner Eboni Wallace performs at WORD UP! 2013. Watch other WORD UP! performances on BPL's YouTube channel . Students from 13 high schools in Jefferson County will compete in a poetry slam on Sunday, April 6, at 3:00 p.m. in the Birmingham Public Library’s Arrington Auditorium . The event is free. Known as WORD UP! 2014, the event allows teenagers to showcase their spoken word skills. This is the seventh year for the competition. 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. The WORD UP! 2014 theme is “community.” Earlier this year, participating high schools held preliminary contests at their schools. The schools' winners will face off on April 6. On April 6, a panel of three judges will judge contestants on content and performance. The first place winner will receive $300, second place $200 and third place $150. The slam is sponsored by the Birmingham Public ...

2015 WORD UP! winners: (l-r) Trinity Packer, Shades Valley High School (3rd place); Whitney McWilliams, Alabama School of Fine Arts (2nd place); Miaya Webster, Alabama School of Fine Arts (1st place) Some of Jefferson County’s most talented young spoken word artists will get a chance to compete for cash prices at the Birmingham Public Library (BPL). WORD UP!, a poetry slam for students enrolled in high schools or homeschooled in Jefferson County, will be held on Sunday, April 10, 2016, at 3:00 p.m.,  in the Fiction Department at the Central Library . The slam is sponsored by the BPL and Real Life Poets , a nonprofit creative writing organization based in Birmingham. Students in grades 9 through 12 will perform an original work of poetry inspired by a theme selected by the WORD UP! planning committee. The theme for WORD UP! 2016 is “Speak Out!” Visit the WORD UP! webpage for details at http://www.jclc.org/wordup.aspx . The contestants are judged on content and performa...

  What:  The Word Up! Festival, a poetry slam featuring high school students from all 7 Birmingham High Schools  Who:  The Flourish Alabama in partnership with  Birmingham Public Library  and the  Greater Birmingham Arts Education Collaborative  to host the 2022 Word Up! Festival.   The Flourish Alabama  is a local arts and arts education nonprofit organization dedicated to helping artists Bloom.  When:  Virtually via Zoom Friday, January 28, 2022 and on the Birmingham Public Library Facebook page.  Semifinal rounds will be held at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 pm. The Final Round begins at 6:30 p.m.  About the Event:  Come see the top poets from Birmingham’s seven high schools compete for $5,000 in cash prizes at the 2022 Word Up! Festival. This festival is a culmination of The Flourish's Word Up! Program, a city-wide poetry competition featuring high school students from across Birmingham.  Birmingham, Ala. – ...

  What: The Word Up! Festival, a poetry slam featuring high school students from all 7 Birmingham High Schools  Who: The Flourish Alabama in partnership with Birmingham Public Library and the Greater Birmingham Arts Education Collaborative to host the 2021 Word Up! Festival.   The Flourish Alabama  is a local arts and arts education nonprofit organization dedicated to helping artists Bloom.  When:  Friday, December 17. Preliminary Rounds begin at 5:00 pm, followed by the Final Round (featuring the top 4 schools) at 7:00 p.m.  Where: The Central Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, Ala. 35203 About the Event:  Come see the top poets from Birmingham’s seven high schools compete for $5,000 in cash prizes at the 2021 Word Up! Festival. This festival is a culmination of The Flourish's Word Up! Program, a city-wide poetry competition featuring high school students from across Birmingham. The public is invited to attend this free event to cheer ...

WORD UP! 2012 winners from left to right: Eboni Wallace (Tarrant), first place winner; Derrick McKenzie (Hewitt-Trussville), second place winner; Jeramie Scott (Woodlawn), third place winner; Justin Wright (Shades Valley), third place winner. WORD UP! is an annual poetry slam for high school students who are enrolled in schools, or home schooled, in Jefferson County. At the event held on Sunday, April 1, Eboni Wallace walked away with the grand prize. Eboni is a 10th grade student at Tarrant High School. Also stepping onto the stage to receive cash awards were second prize winner Derrick McKenzie, a 12th grade student at Hewitt-Trussville and two winners who tied for third place, Jeramie Scott, a 10th grader at Woodlawn High, and Justin Wright, an 11th grade student at Shades Valley High School. Other schools represented by the more than 25 participating students included the Alabama School of Fine Arts, A.H. Parker High, Spain Park, and Wenonah High. The slam was sponsored by the B...

Spoken word poets from around the region will perform their original works to kick off the WORD UP! 2012 Fifth Anniversary celebration. Shaunteka Curry, Will Gillette, Glennwood, Jerri Hardesty, Huggybear Da Poet, Matt Layne, Eric Marabale, and Illyshia Parker are scheduled to perform. There will also be evening programs celebrating the WORD UP! anniversary on Tuesday, March 6, 13, 20, and 27 at 6:30 p.m. (details will be posted closer to the event dates). A teen poetry workshop led by Real Life Poets will follow the showcase. Details WORD UP! Kick Off Central Library , Arrington Auditorium Saturday, January 21, 2012 2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. *** WORD UP! is a poetry slam for high school students (grades 9-12) in Jefferson County hosted by the Birmingham Public Library. The students will write and perform an original work inspired by the theme "Milestones." The participants in WORD UP! will be the winners from each school's contest. Each school is responsible for holding its o...

  What: 2023 Word Up! Poetry Festival  When: Friday, December 8, 5:00-9:00 p.m. Where: The Central Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203 About the event: Sponsored by The Flourish Alabama in collaboration with the Birmingham Public Library, Word Up! is a poetry festival featuring 12 school teams and 12 individuals who will compete for $5,000 in cash prizes by sharing original spoken word poetry. Preparation workshops are under way now and will culminate with the final poetry slam on December 8. Registration deadline is November 10.    For inquiries or further information, visit theflourishal.com/wordup or contact The Flourish Alabama at education@theflourishal.com.     Birmingham, AL — The Flourish Alabama is thrilled to announce its continued collaboration with the Birmingham Public Library for the fourth consecutive year to present the highly anticipated Word Up! Poetry Festival. Scheduled for Friday, December 8, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m...

What: The Word Up! Festival, a poetry slam featuring high school students from all 7 Birmingham High Schools Who : The Flourish Alabama in partnership with Birmingham Public Library to host the 2022 Word Up! Festival. The Flourish Alabama is a local arts and arts education nonprofit organization dedicated to helping artists Bloom. When: Preliminary Rounds begin at 5:00 pm, followed by the Final Round (featuring the top 4 schools) at 7:00 p.m. Where: The Central Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, Ala. 35203 About the Event: This festival is a culmination of The Flourish's Word Up! Program, a city-wide poetry competition featuring high school students from across Birmingham. The public is invited to attend this free event to cheer on the young student poets. ADDITION: Jermaine FunnyMaine Johnson will be a guest judge for the final round. Birmingham, Ala. – Come see the top poets from Birmingham’s seven high schools compete for $5,000 in cash prizes at the 2022 Word Up! Festiv...

What: 2023 Word Up! Poetry Festival  When: Friday, December 8, 5:00-9:00 p.m. Where: The Central Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203 About the event:  Sponsored by The Flourish Alabama in collaboration with the Birmingham Public Library, Word Up! is a poetry festival featuring 6 high school teams who will compete for $5,000 in cash prizes by sharing original spoken word poetry. The poetry slam will be 5:00-9:00 p.m. on Friday, December 8. The 6 high school finalists are Huffman, Jackson-Olin, Parker, Ramsay, Wenonah and Minor. For inquiries or further information, visit  theflourishal.com/wordup  or contact The Flourish Alabama at theflourishalabama@gmail.com.     Birmingham, AL — Get ready to see the top youth poets in Jefferson County compete for $5,000 in cash prizes as   The Flourish Alabama  teams up with the  Birmingham Public Library  for the fourth consecutive year to present the 2023  Word Up! Poetry Festiva...

WORD UP! 2013 winner Eboni Wallace Second and third place winners Patrice Talley and Miaya Webster For the second year, Eboni Wallace was named winner of the annual WORD UP! competition sponsored by the public libraries of Jefferson County and Real Life Poets . As the winner, she received a cash prize of $300 and the 2013 trophy. Eboni is a student at Tarrant High School and an active participant in the monthly teen poetry workshops led by the non-profit group Real Life Poets. The workshops are held on the first Saturdays of the month at the Central Library. Patrice Talley from the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) won second place, and Miaya Webster, also from ASFA, placed third. This year’s competition had even more meaning for Eboni and the other contestants because the top 6 finalists this year will, if selected to participate, represent Alabama in Chicago this August for the international Brave New Voices poetry competition—the first time representatives from Alabama m...

Erika Wade, first place winner of the Word Up! 2008 contest, and Word Up! organizer Haruyo Miyagawa High school students (grades 9-12) will celebrate their voices through a spoken word contest sponsored by the public libraries of Jefferson County and the Birmingham Museum of Art . The students will write and perform an original work inspired by a work of art at the museum. The participants in WORD UP! will be the top winners from each school’s contest. This is the second annual contest for the event. The prize for first place is $150, $100 for second place, and $75 for third place. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.jclc.org/wordup.aspx . You may also call 226-3670. Contest Information Event: WORD UP! Spoken Word Contest Place: The Birmingham Museum of Art, Steiner Auditorium Date: Sunday, February 22, 2009 Time: 2:00 p.m.

2016 WORD UP! winners from left to right:  Emma Camp, a sophomore at  Alabama School of Fine Arts (1st place);  Jeralyn Langford, a senior at  Clay-Chalkville High School (2nd place);  and Ellie Goldstein, a junior  at Homewood High School (3rd place) Three of Jefferson County’s most talented young spoken word artists were crowned winners after participating in WORD UP!, a poetry slam for students enrolled in high schools or homeschooled in Jefferson County, on Sunday, April 10, 2016, at the Central Library. The first place winner ($300 prize) is Ellen Camp, a sophomore at Alabama School of the Fine Arts. Winning the second place $200 prize is Jeralyn Langford, a senior at Clay-Chalkville High School. The third place winner ($150) is Ellis Goldstein, a junior at Homewood High School. The slam is sponsored by the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) and Real Life Poets, a nonprofit creative writing organization based in Birmingham. Ten students in g...