South to select best student poetry

In Poetry Slam and Jazz Jam, South Campus students will share their poetry and compete for prizes while enjoying music.

The event is 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 8, in the SREC Recital Hall.

In the poetry competition, participants perform their work and are judged by members elected from the audience. The judges will give numerical scores from 0-10 based on the poem’s content and the poet’s performance.

Catherine Higdon, instructor of English on South Campus, said the event is open to everyone who wishes to get into the venue. In addition, winners will get gift certificate prizes of $50 for the first place, $35 for the second place and $25 for the third.

Participants must sign up in person at SFOE 1602A or the night prior to the event. All types of poetry are welcomed, and though everyone who signs up has the opportunity to read in the first round, the line up for subsequent rounds will be determined by the judges’ scores, Higdon said.

Poems must be a poet’s own construction, and each poet will have maximum of three minutes plus a 10-second grace period to read the work. Poets will not be allowed to wear costumes, have musical instruments or use props. The final score is based on the addition of the three middle scores, thus giving poets the opportunity to score 0-30 points.

The Jazz concert is under the direction of Rick Stitzel, music instructor on South Campus. Light food and refreshments will be served. Admission is free. For more information please, call Higdon at 817-515-4094.