Youth Voices: Performance Poetry as a Platform for Literacy, Creativity, and Civic Engagement

The youth slam poetry movement is growing in Houston. Writers in the Schools (WITS) is helping youth explore their truths through performance poetry and the renowned Meta-Four Houston program. Spoken word, slam competitions, and performance poetry bring people together to share stories and listen to our tomorrows. Performance poetry encourages creative self-expression and literacy among youth, while building a literary culture and platform for social change. By teaching youth to own their words, they learn to understand the potential power of their ideas. Performance poetry is a strong vehicle for education, deepening literacy, creativity, and communication skills, while preparing students to become civic and social leaders for the Houston community