Nicholas Mitchell
Practicing her poem in front of the club on Feb. 26, senior Maya Thorne expresses her feelings about violence in American schools. Her piece criticized leaders and advocated for change.
The classroom is quiet and the lights buzz as sophomore Samantha Thiellen walks up to the front of the room. Paper in hand, she breathes in and looks up at her peers surrounding her. She starts to speak, the raw emotion flowing out as she paints a picture for the audience. When she finishes, the room fills with snaps and nods, complimenting her performance. This is the beauty of the Slam Poetry Club, where students collaborate in creativity and self-expression.
Bringing together students from both Gretna East and Gretna High School, the club is a place for poets to freely express themselves, come up with new ideas and have the opportunity to perform in front of crowds. For some students, like Thiellen, poetry was more than just words on a page: it was a way to share her truth.
“I’ve been able to perform and write what is true to me,” Thiellen said. “I write about things that I have personally gone through and things going on in society.”
Held in English teacher Jennifer Smith’s room, the club meets twice a week at Gretna East, turning room 218 into a space for young poets. Students brainstorm, write and perform during meetings and try to push each other out of their comfort zones. For coach Smith, the vision for the team was always clear.
“My goal is to have a room of people creating, sharing and having fun with their poetry while still being serious with it,” Smith said.
This is executed as students improve their skills, not only for themselves but for competitions. With their season beginning in April, the club has been focused on helping each other grow by discussing their work and giving feedback and revisions to their fellow poets.
“I’m so proud of the work everyone has put in,” Gretna High sophomore Mikayla Rogers said. “We have a great team with great coaches to lead us.”
Beyond competitions, Smith wants to do more for the club in school.
“I’d like to start doing performances during school or during lunch to help prepare us for the competitions,” Smith said.
For students in the Slam Poetry Club, it isn’t just an after-school activity for fun. It is a way for them to discover themselves and put their feelings and thoughts into words.