Nancy Sullivan has been the teacher-librarian at McDaniel High School (formerly Madison) for more than twenty years. She started the Madison High School Poetry Slam in 2005 to—as stated in this 2012 piece in Portland Monthly—”give students the opportunity to express this wide range of emotions beyond the structures and strictures of high school.”
When she saw the positive impact slam poetry was having in the Madison school community, “I wanted to spread it widely so I sort of imposed my will on all of the other PPS high school librarians,” Sullivan says. “I convinced Sunny Childs to be my thought partner and put together a website, then approached Mary Rechner and Andrew Proctor and convinced Literary Arts to produce the big event.”
The first Verselandia! Youth Poetry Slam Championship happened on April 25, 2012, at the Mission Theater. As it grew it moved to the Wonder Ballroom, Portland Center Stage at The Armory, and the Newmark Theatre, before getting the glittering marquee at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in 2017, where it has been held ever since (except in 2020, when the live competition was canceled and in 2021 when a virtual competition was held. Watch #Virtualandia here).
Sullivan did not start her career as a librarian. “I was working a corporate job and volunteered for SMART (Start Making A Reader Today),” she told us. “I’d spend my lunch one day a week reading in schools with students who needed extra support. I found that at the end of my time with them I didn’t want to leave so I investigated education programs. While looking at PSU I met Paul Gregorio who said that, if children’s literature was what brought me to education, I should look at becoming a school librarian. And he was right. It’s a great fit for me.”
Last year, two McDaniel students, Nykole Jackson and Serendipity Lang were in the top five poets for Verselandia!, with Jackson taking home the title of Grand Slam Champion. Both Jackson and Lang were judges for McDaniel’s 2023 slam, and continue on with their poetry careers.
When asked about some of the highlights from her year’s being involved with Verselandia, Sullivan points to a message she received from an attendee of McDaniel’s slam this year:
“Like last year’s, last night’s slam was phenomenal. I just wanted to say what we witnessed from the poets rocked our souls—leaving us devastated and inspired. I have a sibling named Floyd, they’re about to turn 14 and they’re an amazing poet / delightful human being. However, their school in Idaho is a barren desert for thoughtfulness and kindness. There is nothing there like the creative community you all have formed at MHS, let alone what should be the basic human encouragement for Floyd and their peers to be their full, fully loved, liberated, & uncensored selves. The space for community and creativity that you all have carved out is a sanctuary and it saves lives. Thank you for that and all the ripples of hope flowing out of it.”
“The space for community and creativity that you all have carved out is a sanctuary and it saves lives.“
“Really the bravery and thoughtfulness the poets embody and the personal growth they experience is what makes the effort all worthwhile,” Sullivan says.
Surprisingly, young Nancy Sullivan says she would not have entered Verselandia! during her time in high school. “I was a literal cheerleader in high school and grew up to be a metaphorical cheerleader in my role as an educator. Making the space for students to share their creativity and voice is the place for me.”
When asked who should attend Verselandia! Sullivan replied, “Caring humans who thrive on hope and inspiration.” If that sounds like you, then make sure to get your tickets now!
