Slam Poetry 2025: A Competition to Remember – YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF COMPETITIONS AT END OF ARTICLE

Written By: Reagan Metzger, Staff Writer

SLAM: Poly’s annual 11th grade SLAM Poetry Competition
On the morning of Friday, March 21st, students from the junior class filled the Poly theatre. Many were reciting their poems, shaking out nerves, or chatting with their friends and peers. As the lights dimmed, faculty entered the theatre and looked to the audience of participants who were eager to perform. The fifteenth year annual tradition of “slam poems” was about to begin! 

Slam poetry is a form of performance that involves one reciting and performing their own original poetry, to be judged based on stage presence and overall impact. Slam poetry has gained popularity over the years because of its ability to encourage self expression amongst younger crowds with very diverse and unique experiences. There are even national competitions for serious competitors with remarkable pieces! Poly High’s eleventh grade English department introduced the curriculum around slam poetry many years ago and it has been remarked as a “rite of passage” for all juniors, whom all must participate. This type of “spoken art” has been daunting for many juniors who dread the task of creative writing, but teachers affirm that the goal is to highlight the voice within each student.

Poly English department chair, Kimberly Yeyna, introduced the concept to Poly and has been the passionate facilitator of the competition for many years. She emphasizes to the judges to sympathize with student’s perspectives rather than to place any personal standpoints that may affect their opinions. Yeyna affirmed that one thing that stood out about this year’s poems was the “subject matter that seemed very relevant and honest to the dilemmas the United States is facing.” She emphasizes that she is “amazed every year at how students embrace their beliefs with such passion on stage.” Some of the most memorable pieces spoke on conflict within immigration, women’s rights, and political turmoil in the U.S. Mrs. Yeyna notes that “the beauty of this competition is that many students have never performed on any stage, and this task is going completely outside the box for them.”

Seen above; A crowd favorite, and the winner of the duo category, was the poem “Isn’t that Ironic,” by duo, Andrea Arce and Roberto Gonzalez. Their piece challenged the audience to face a perspective that many migrant Americans have been put in amidst new immigration policies. They explore both sides of a relevant narrative: The American Dream vs. an unfortunate reality for many undocumented citizens. 

“You are a Curly Haired Girl,” by Isabella Fernandez spoke on beauty norms within a society that has routinely values straight hair over curly locks. Through her gestures and passion, she demonstrated the struggles within maintaining curly hair while overall alluding to her battle with self love and acceptance. 

Seen above; “I Hate Slam Poems,” by Jaylee Gutterud was a refreshing piece for the audience because of its comical and relatable affect. Her piece was a great reminder that slam poems can be about absolutely anything and not just serious topics. She demonstrated her great hatred for the competition while later embracing the challenge to express herself. 

Seen above; Isabella Morales performed a piece about farmers and those who harvest food in her piece, “The Forgotten Hands That Feed Us.” The topic was somewhat unexpected, but she remarkably conveyed the importance of the men and women who tirelessly bring food to tables. 

Seen above; “Too Loud,” by Kylani Gaines (our third place solo winner) was of great relevance to many students from African American backgrounds such as herself. The piece touched on her struggles growing up where she was labeled as “too loud” for simply being herself. 

Seen above; Sophee Salcedo’s poem, “Silence,” was also out of the ordinary, but extremely loveable. Her time and dedication to the piece was evident when she signed the entire poem with sign language! She spoke on dilemmas that the deaf community faces in a world where silence isn’t valued or even known. 

And the 2025 SLAM Solo Winners are:

Overall, the competition was very inspirational to spectators, participants, and judges who all had the privilege to witness the greatness within the next generation.  Issac Villegas, Kylani Gaines, and Seth Rich Neal, all went on to make the top three for solo performances. Andrea Arce and Roberto Gonzalez placed first above the duos, and our group winners were Ahlam Jalifa-Reyes, Abigail Cisneros and Lilah Ubiadas. You can view the group and duo competitions, since there was no Slam-Off for those categories, in the video entitled “2025 – Riverside Polytechnic High School SLAM Poetry – (Period 1) below. The Class of 2026 surprised many with their ability to articulate difficult topics as well as their own personal experiences. Slam poetry requires a sort of vulnerability for the performer to adequately convey their message to viewers, and all participants’ effort was definitely apparent. This year’s batch of juniors did wonderful work and definitely set the standard high for students in the years to come. 

Than you to Kathryn Burke, a member of one of Mr. Enyart’s videography class, for filming the entire SLAM Poetry competition. Please see for yourself just how incredible these students were.

Here is a shout out to all this year’s SOLOIST finalists who performed in SLAM 2025:

And of course – shout out to those duos and group contestants too: