Schools

Newark Teen Among Finalists in Poetry Slam

Newark Memorial High School student to compete in 15th Annual Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam.

A Newark Memorial High School student is among 17 teenagers who are finalists in the 15th Annual Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam.

Gretchen Carvajal, 16, will partake in the slam, ran like an Olympic-style poetry competition, that features hundreds of young writers, emcees and performers from throughout Northern California, according to Youth Speaks.

The finalists were chosen after three weeks of 12 competitions in which 250 poets transformed their written work into spoken word during a variety of performances.

Carvajal will be taking stage with these other finalists:

  • Allison Kephart, 16 of Pacifica
  • Cassandra Euphrat Weston, 18 of San Francisco
  • EJ Walls, 17 of San Leandro
  • Gabriela Pelsinger, 17 of San Francisco
  • Jade Cho, 18 of Oakland
  • Josh Merchant, 19 of Oakland
  • Khatsini Simani, 19 of Oakland
  • Maricar Bamba, 16 of San Francisco
  • Marje Kilpatrick, 14 of Richmond
  • Noah St. John, 15 of Berkeley
  • Nyabingha McDowell, 15 of Richmond
  • Obasi Davis, 15 of Oakland
  • Queen Nefertiti Shabazz, 16 of Berkeley
  • Shanika-Marshae Walker, 19 of Richmond
  • Stephanie Yun, 17 of Oakland
  • Tehan Ketema, 14 of Berkeley

The event will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco.

The first Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam was held in 1997.

For more information, visit the Youth Speaks website here.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Newark