The power of words is a beautiful thing. Alfred G. Berner Middle School’s inaugural Poetry Slam, titled, “Life is Too Short Not to Speak,” was recent
ly presented to a packed audience of parents, students and teachers who witnessed the powerful writing and unique voices of 13 Berner students. Lauren Baroletti, Sarah Benedict, Jessica Geyer, Juliette Liebov, Sam Marsh, Dan McGlade, Julianna Mpazicos, Maeve O’Donnell, Pooja Patel, Meaghan Phillips, Tyler Ramos and Gina Rodaligo all participated along with student and host Matthew Smithwick. Offering their perspectives on issues such as friendship, love and society’s influence on their growth, the students reminded others that poetry lives inside all of us.
“I have had the invaluable opportunity to witness the growth of our writers,” said Ed Kemnitzer, executive assistant to the principal. “You are going to hear the true voices that exist in our performers’ own survival soup.”
Those voices brought the audience to both laughter and tears with their precisely chosen words.
Led by the Poetry Slam Club’s advisor Lindsay Audiino, who teaches English at both Berner and Massapequa High School, the Berner poets met multiple times each week since October, to write, create, collaborate and perfect their performances. Developing a strong bond with each other, Audiino and the students developed a society of poets committed to their craft. Their hard work paid off and their success remains active through the conversations of staff, students and parents.
In addition to their successful performance, three students were named winners in the ThinkCERCA National CERCASlam and Poetry Recitation Contest. Ramos won for “Best Inspirational Poem,” Marsh won for “Best Surreal Poem” and Liebov won for “Best Use of Figurative Language.” The name of the winners and their poems will be featured on the ThinkCERCA website.
Audiino said she is “so fortunate to have partnered with such amazing students.” The group’s passion for poetry and camaraderie remains strong as members continue to meet in order to plan for next year’s performance.
“We look forward to their second act, for we know that ‘Life is Too Short Not to Speak’ again,” Kemnitzer added.
