Community High’s Craft Theater was packed with a diverse crowd Friday night. Attendees of the Ann Arbor Youth Poetry Slam Semi-Final event included performing poets, students from a variety of schools, parents, teachers and friends.

While each of the four public high schools–Community, Huron, Pioneer and Skyline–has its own semi-final event, there were participants that came from schools other than Community to read on March 9th. Twenty-nine students total read pieces in the first round of the slam. Afterwards, based on scores awarded by five judges, the highest 17 scorers continued.

In the second round the performers read a different, original poem that was again scored by the judges. With the highest and lowest scores disregarded, the highest combined total of the remaining three scores was named the winner.

The poems ranged from comedic to romantic to political to tragic. Despite the variety of subject matter, the common themes of support and enthusiasm ran through the entire event. With constant encouragement from emcee and Pioneer High School English teacher Jeff Kass, the crowd cheered loudly for every performer and frequently booed judges’ scores that they thought too low.

Community High senior Kerry Fingerle placed first in the school slam for the second year in a row. Last year, Fingerle was chosen, based on a strong showing in the Ann Arbor Youth Poetry Slam City Finals , to join the city team in competition at the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival.

Others chosen to move on to the city finals this year were Mari Cohen, Rachel Kerby, Sarah Kerson, Jack Kausch and Lydia Brown. These students will perform on March 29th at the Neutral Zone for a chance to make the city team that plans to attend the poetry festival which will be held in the San Francisco Bay Area in July.

Click here to watch selected poets speak about their preparations for this year’s poetry slam.

Watch below to view their performances.

Kerry Fingerle