Literary Arts had the honor of presenting the East Side Slam on March 19, 2025 at the Adrienne C. Nelson High School library for the seventh year in a row.
The East Side Slam is an opportunity for schools in east Multnomah and Clackamas County to participate in Verselandia! Youth Poetry Slam Championship, providing a space for a qualifier for the championship. Traditionally high schools hold their own qualifying slams for the Verselandia! championship, however in an effort to expand participation from east County schools, the East Side Slam cohort was created. The first and second place winners from East Side Slam advance to the Verselandia! championship, and the third place poet becomes the calibration poet to warm up the audience and judges at the championship slam.
Seven student poets and one student calibration poet from Gresham, Parkrose, and Nelson high schools participated in the East Side Slam competition. The event was hosted by poet Stephen Mead.
Students shared their personal stories with their peers. However, only three poets can advance to the championship slam.
Winners advancing to the Verselandia! Youth Poetry Slam Championship were:
- First Place: Qiana Woods
- Second Place: Nick Ritter
- Third Place: Evey Rothwell
The event would not have been possible without the support of the following educators: Allison Ackerman who hosted at Nelson High, Joshua Bott from Parkrose High, and Téa Johnson from Gresham High. Thank you as well to our judges Kevin Peterson, Sarah Sampouw, Alberto Sveum, Paige Thomas, and Theresa Tran as well as timekeepers/math assistants Julia Gaskill and Olivia Jones-Hall.
Don’t miss the championship event on April 24 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall!
