Written by: Kate Di Guglielmo, Editor
EXCITING: Riverside Poly High School holds its first Slam Poem Competition since before COVID-19. (Youtube videos of the competition are at the bottom of this article).
Here at Poly High School, the students have gone above and beyond what most would call ¨basic poetry¨. On April 1, 2022, Poly had its first Slam Poem Competition since 2019. Starting at 7:30 A.M. over ninety-five students lined up in front of the Little Theater preparing to present their poems. Single performers talked about their nerves with other students; duos practiced syncing their words, and groups went over their exciting and rapid movements, all preparing for the stage. The theater soon crowded with jittery students, scared but with an excited energy, ready to present their deepest and most bare thoughts.
As the first student Maddie Arrienda (11) walked up on stage, the theater was filled with shushing and quiet shuffles while the final students entered the theater. Arrienda (11) given the pressure of ¨setting the tone for the whole competition” was rightfully ¨very nervous.¨ However, she did amazing performing her poem ¨I Love All Men¨ and deservingly received one of the most ecstatic rounds of applause all day. Another student who felt the inescapable nerves of the stage, Lily Marsella (11), performed amazingly. After being asked what her expectations were for performing, Marsella (11) joyfully answered, ¨Once I was up there, I liked being on the stage and performing my poem.¨ ¨I also liked hearing everyone laugh,¨ Marsella (11) added with a grin. Everyone in the soloist category did amazing, and it was no doubt a hard decision for the judges to choose the winners.
The moment the soloists were finished, the duos jumped in. Fourteen duos performed in total, all of them with exemplary performances. One duo, in particular, filled the crowd with laughter. Ben O´Kane (11) and Samer Zidan´s (11) poem about the opposite views of the heart and the brain, contemplated what is really necessary for oneself as opposed to what one wants. ¨I felt happy after performing,¨ O´Kane (11) said as he was excited about the ¨good reaction¨ they received from the crowd. Another poem in the duos category that shocked the audience was the poem, ¨94¨, performed by Alexa Cargando (11) and Phoebe Galuzka (11). Their poem spoke about Galuzka´s (11) struggle with her weight dropping, and the immense pressure placed on Cargando (11) as her grades rose, with weight and grades eventually meeting at the number ninety-four. After their poem, Cargando (11) and Galzuka (11) were met with a standing ovation that shook the stage.
Soon after the duos, the six groups began to appear on the stage. After a day full of serious poems, one group was able to heal the saddening hearts with a poem about pickles! Yes – pickles. Julia Suarez (11), Shania Taft (11), Breanna Walk (11), and Jennifer Fernandez (11) all performed “Pickles” and towards the end of their poem, had a surprise for the crowd. After talking about their love for pickles, one performer forgot her line and acted as if she wasn’t going to be able to finish. However, with laughter beginning to show on the girl’s faces, they all humorously announced, ¨April fools!¨
After hours of performing, the final round came where 10 soloists performed. Of those soloists, the top three winners were chosen. Coming in first was Pierre Schwabe (11) and their poem, ¨Muffins and Other Questions of The Universe¨, second was Twila Fraser (11) who presented ¨A Masterpiece¨, and third was Bryce Broadhurst (11) with their poem, ¨Purple.¨ Next, the winner for the duo group was chosen as ¨94¨, performed by Alexa Cargando (11) and Phoebe Galuzka (11). Lastly, the group winners were chosen being Uriel Pacheco (11), Cesar Padua (1), and Omar Sepulveda (11) with their poem ¨Mexican Stereotype.¨
Let’s Meet the First Place Winners!
Pierre Schwabe (11) who performed ¨Muffins and Other Questions of The Universe¨, did their poem on the many questions of life. They were able to ask serious questions that everyone asks themselves, but faded into funny questions which lifted the mood before returning to serious topics once again. Schwabe not only enjoyed performing themself, but also thought ¨seeing everyone perform [and] have their time in the spotlight was beautiful.¨ They believe that slam was able to allow people’s voices to be heard and it gave some that chance ¨for the first time.¨ Schwabe is – no doubt – an outstanding performer and Poly High School will hopefully be seeing them in all types of performances for the rest of their high school years. They undoubtedly deserved first place.
As mentioned earlier, ¨94¨ was an emotional and intense work of art that rightfully deserved the place as top duo performance. Alexa Cargando (11) and Phoebe Galuzka(11) did an amazing job telling their stories and were so brave to be able to be vulnerable to the audience. Although they definitely did not show it, Galuzka (11) says, ¨we were super nervous about performing¨ and also mentioned how they ¨weren’t the most confident.¨ As it is completely normal to be nervous while performing, it is extremely hard to not look it. Congratulations Cargando (11) and Galuzka (11), you both did an unbelievable job performing!
Stereotypes often go unmentioned, which is why when Uriel Pacheco (11), Cesar Padua (11), and Omar Sepulveda (11) decided to talk about the ¨Mexican Stereotype¨, the audience found it relatable, and their energy was contagious. Mixed with humor and seriousness, they were able to give an accurate explanation of what it’s like being a Mexican young man labeled with many stereotypes. Padua (11) mentions how they ¨gave it all [they] had, but still did not know [they] would win.¨ However surprising it was for them, it was not to the rest of the audience. Congratulations on your win!
All performers in this year’s SLAM competition deserve recognition! It takes a tremendous amount of courage to stand on a stage and pour one’s heart out, but everyone below did just that.
Congratulations to: (The following list is in no particular order)
The Soloists:
Layhla Zamora- Queen of Coffee
Petra Schwabe- Muffins and Other Questions of the Universe
Twila Fraser-Hewlett- A Masterpiece
Hayat Jalifa-Reyes- Refuge in Solitude
Sophia Jarret- Age of Innocence
Paige Runyan-Gluten Free – My Allergy
Fiona Kuderman- That Wasn’t Love
Xuan-Anh Biggs- To the Alien Protagonist in All of Us
Logan Brannon- A Fortnite Ago
Bryce Broadhurst- Purple
Abigale Maddox- My Waiting Letter
Victoria Salcedo- Perfect
Heather Schneider- Every Child Matters
Alex Mueller- Forged Reality
Katelyn Sullivan- Her
Sydnee Salcedo- Welcome to High School
Hailey Hewitt- Never Who I Needed
Amanda Aleman- The “Perfect” Girl
Patrick Novak- Purple Pond
Gabriel Vera- Money
Madison Halstead- Dear Past Me
Alyssa Wyman- Nothing
Suriyah Vargas- Love
Shannon Soto- Staining the Painting
Maiten Sanchez- Our Salvation
Annabella Millard- Training Wheels
Melanie Gomez-Phases
Peter Krieger- Milk
Andrew Appadorai- What I love So Dear
Melanie Megana- Frozen Yogurt
Benjamin McClellan- The Mental Anguish of AP English
Devin Varner- A Story of the Little Girl
Hailee Nosenchuck- How you Make Me Feel
Dalton Adcock- Frameworks
Camryn Coilton- Perfection’s Daughter
Daphne Higham- Orion’s Belt
Madison “Cloud” Simmons- Girl Made of Porcelain
Moises Diaz- I am Mexican
Kate DiGuglielmo- My Little Monster
Bethany Leyva- Duckie
Jordana Rhyne- What is the Purpose
Carlos Diaz- Unconfident
Citlali Campos- A Love Letter to my Chosen Family
Emely Aguilera- Here With You
Lily Marsella- Shepherd’s Pie
Antonio Silverio- A Somewhat Pleasant Memory
Kenden Staley- You Don’t Know
Jaidyn Gayman- I’m Perfectly Fine
Clara Garcia- Destiny
Karley Wendt- Absent Fathers
Adria Smith- Veggies
Leo (Leila) Mason- Failed Expectations
Jocelyn Gonzalez- Not So Lovely Letter
Madeline Arrieda (5)- I Love Men!
Heaven Zunigan- Betrayal
Samantha Medina- The Truth About Procrastination
Milo Ribaudo- Expectations
Jerry Vaughan- Philosophy of Life
Dylan Dusyings- What People Say
Cassandra Valle- Monsters, Colors and Turning 18
Larry Gutierrez- Stress
Factima Cedillo- Oh Dear Me
Andrew Arce- The Mind of the Artist
Jaimie Valencia- Your Present, Past, Future Self
Hannah Greenwalt- Her Controlled Strings
Xylo Garcia- Beans for the Brain
Angelina Grandos- The Bird That Flies Away
Brandon Batcha- Pain in My Thoughts
Adriana Huerta- My Side of Love
Noah Bates- Pain in My Thoughts
Nia Russell- Broken Connection to Latrine
Eric Cisneros- Uncertainty
Caitlyn Gann- Too Young
The Duos:
Alexa Cargango & Phoebe Galuzka- 94
Naveah Aliu & Zoe Wakehouse- FirstLove
Jacquelin Mercado & Angelina (Jackelina) Stedman- When Will It End
Jaren Cochran & Vaughn Phillips- Growing Up
Erik Huerta & Radley Greenwell- What Comes After
Cathryn Stanskas & Lillian Johnson- I’m Fine
Valora Rodriguez & McKenna Diekman- Poly Bird Crisis
Lillian Johnson & Cathryn Stanskas- I’m Fine
William Cloake & Josh Rivera- Yesterday
Diane Andres & Briana Galvan- The Struggle with Depression
Jaisyn Gless & Katrina Otto- Twisted Winds
Ben O’Kane & Samer Ziden- Inner Workings
Thomas Cook & Ryan Gerry- Lil Bozo
Laine Yeager & Paige Muller- Forced Friendship
The Groups:
Grace Carter, Lily Winterton, Rosana Rodriguez- Pain of Procrastination
Molly Barnard, Anaaya Patel, Kayden Croy & Ava Erickson- Ode to Chipotle
Omar Sepulveda, Cesar Padua, Uriel Pacheco- The Mexican Stereotype
Ranya Butrus, Sandra Moreno, Hope Serwy- I Wonder
Sofia Aguilera, Gabriella Monge, Denali Segura- Pass of Fail
Shania Taft, Jennifer, Fernandez, Julia Sureaz, Breanna Walk- Pickle Lovers
If you missed the performances and want to watch, click the links below!
2022 POLY SLAM COMPETITION – PERIOD 1 – SOLOS
2022 POLY SLAM COMPETITION – PERIOD 2 – SOLOS
2022 POLY SLAM COMPETITION – PERIOD 3 – SOLOS
2022 POLY SLAM COMPETITION – PERIOD 4 – SOLOS/DUOS
2022 POLY SLAM COMPETITION – PERIOD 5 – DUOS/GROUPS
2022 POLY SLAM COMPETITION – PERIOD 6 – FINALS