Slam Night
We hold themed poetry slam competitions every 3RD TUESDAY of the month. This competition is where poets perform their own original work and are then judged on a numeric scale by judges preselected from the audience.
In a standard slam, there are five judges that are selected. Before the competition begins, the host may bring up a sacrificial poet who is not competing in the slam but is scored by the judges in order for them to calibrate their scoring.
After each poem, judges score the performance between zero and ten points while using decimals. The highest and lowest score are then dropped, giving each performance a score between zero and thirty points.
A single round at a slam consists of performances by all eligible poets with most slams lasting multiple rounds. Most may involve the elimination of lower-scoring poets in successive rounds while some slams do not eliminate poets at all. A standard elimination rubric can run 8-4-2, with eight poets in the first round, four in the second, and two in the last.
Additionally, most slams enforce a time limit of three minutes (and a grace period of ten seconds), after which a poet’s score will be docked according to how long the poem exceeded the time limit.
Props, costumes, and music are always forbidden in slams.
Past Standings @ NPS
the National Poetry Slam
*GSC = Grand Slam Champion
2018
2nd in the nation!
Bay Davis GSC, Alex Luu, Kito Fortune, Yaw Osafo-Kantanka Kyeremateng, Yesika Salgado
2017
4th in the nation!
Kito Fortune GSC, Poetic Moment GSC, Alyesha Wise, Yesika Salgado, Aman Batra
2016
Made it to Semi-Finals!
Kito Fortune GSC, Alyesha Wise, Aman Batra, Saint, Yesika Salgado
2015
Made it to Semi-Finals!
Tonya Ingram GSC, Alyesha Wise, Edwin Bodney, Fisseha Moges, KiNG
2014
Made it to Semi-Finals!
Alyesha Wise GSC, Carrie Rudzinski, Matthew Cuban, Terisa Siagatonu, Yesika Salgado
2013
2nd in the nation!
Rudy Francisco GSC, Fisseha Moges, Imani Cezanne, Javon Johnson, Terisa Siagatonu
2012
4th in the nation!
Fisseha Moges GSC, Javon Johnson, Simply Kat, Terisa Siagatonu, Venessa Marco
2011
8th in the nation!
Nick Macedo GSC, April Rose Rojas, Edwin Bodney, Fisseha Moges,Javon Johnson
2010
No team competed.
2009
No team competed.
2008
10th in the nation!
Javon Johnson GSC, Aja Monet, Paul Mabon, Rudy Francisco, Simply Kat
2007
Tshaka Campbell GSC, IN-Q, Javon Johnson, Nikki Blak, Shihan
2006
Made it to Semi-Finals!
Mr. Poetic GSC, Crystal Irby, Nikki Blak, Tshaka Campbell
2005
3rd in the nation!
Javon Johnson GSC, Crystal Irby, Rives, Ratpack Slim, Shihan, Simply Kat
2004
NPS Champions!!!
GaKnew GSC, IN-Q, Javon Johnson, Omari Hardwick, Rives, Shihan
2003
5th in the nation!
IN-Q GSC, Gimel, Katrina Recto, Omari Hardwick, Shihan, Snowplough
2002
Made it to Semi-Finals!
Steve Connell GSC, Bridget Gray, GaKnew, Sekou Tha Misfit (NPS Indie Champion), Taalam Acey
2001
17th in the nation!
GaKnew GSC, Nafeesa Monroe, Ty Scott, Bridget Gray, IN-Q
2000
Shihan GSC, Ashley Hammond Rodriguez, Ben Porter Lewis, IN-Q, Rachel Kann