Westwood High School Student Poets Mark National Poetry Month with a Poetry Slam (Updated)

Thanks to Westwood Poet Laureate Lynne Viti for contributing this news to Westwood Minute.

For the second year in a row, Westwood High School slam poets did verbal battle, this time in the school library, wielding words to perform their poems with high energy and talent before an audience of over a hundred fellow students, teachers, staff and judges. Abbie Langmead, a recent Emerson college graduate and veteran of the Boston slam scene served as emcee, enlivening the room and offering a variety of ways to respond, from finger snaps to shoutouts.

Claiming first prize for his delivery of “Rainbow Puddle” and “I wanna write music,” was sophomore Hank Murray, also known to the Westwood high community as the Voice of Morning Announcements over the school’s public address system.

Photo courtesy of Lynne Viti. Competing in the Poetry Slam are (left to right): Morgan Wright, Georgia Perry, Katie Tran, Elizabeth Lowney, Hank Murray, and Terris Jones.

Second place went to senior Morgan Wright for his eloquent spoken word performance of “ADHD” and “World Song.” 

Third place winner was returning contestant from 2023, sophomore Elizabeth Lowney, for her eco-poem “Erosion” and “Driving.” 

Also participating in Round 1 were junior Terris Jones, “You see me but you don’t know me,” senior Katie Tran, “metamorphosis,” and junior Georgia Perry, ”Application.”

Photo courtesy of Lynne Viti. Westwood High School Junior Terris Jones performs, "You see me but you don't know me."

Finalists received gift cards and certificates, and all six poets enjoyed thunderous applause from their fellow students and teachers. The event ended with hugs and fist bumps from friends and classmates, to all six poets. Event organizers librarian Theresa Fisher, English teacher Kieran Moriarty, Westwood Poet Laureate Lynne Viti,as well as judges and emcee Langmead all agreed that the slam was a resounding success.

This event was funded in part by a grant from the Westwood Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council, for Poets in the Schools programs.

Photo courtesy of Lynne Viti. Poetry Slam judges are (from left to right): Judges Jan Brogan, Queen Hodge, and Sherri Stepakoff.

Photo courtesy of Lynne Viti. The Poetry Slam emcee was Abbie Langmead.

Updated 4/28/2024 at 11:28 p.m.

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