Chapter Spotlights
Read about what NEHS chapters are doing to promote language, literature, and writing.
Writerz Block Poetry Slam
Yvonne S. Simmons, Golden Pen Chapter
George Bush High School, Richmond Texas
July, 2009 - Chapter of George Bush High School sponsored a slam poetry team of 10-35 students called Writerz Block. The Golden Pen chapter held its first poetry slam in May, 2009 to choose the first team of poets; 52 students participated in this event.
The Chapter's mission is to mentor and encourage young writers to think, write and speak in a creative form---the art form known as spoken word or slam poetry. The chapter is very proud of this initiative.
Ten members of the newly organized poetry team went on to compete in the regional competition for Houston. Three poets of the NEHS Writerz Block were chosen; Joshua Nguyen, Lance Cook and Jerome Madison. They competed, along with three other Houston team members at the national poetry slam competition, Brave New Voices, which was held in July at Columbia College in downtown Chicago. Although they did not make it to compete in the final round, they were outstanding in character and performance.