Students from JCCS Share Written Work at Poetry Slam

It’s not always easy to speak in front of a crowd of your peers, but with encouragement from applause, cheers, and even hugs students were able to overcome any nervousness at the second annual Poetry Slam. 

More than 70 students from SDCOE's Juvenile Court and Community School (JCCS) programs, including Monarch School, North County Tech Academy, Lindsay Community School, and East County Community School read poems they wrote as part of their spring writing projects. 

Students were asked to write a literary analysis of a poem and then a response poem to either that poem or something in their life. Poems were delivered in both English and Spanish.

Ashley, a student at Monarch School, said participating was a learning experience for her. 

“I learned I wasn’t that scared to share, and I learned how strong and confident I was,” she said. 

Luis, another Monarch student, said he was nervous, “but I was also kind of excited to do my poem in front of everyone.” 

This year, there were five awards given out in the following categories: best overall, most creative, entertaining, thought-provoking, and courageous.

“The JCCS Poetry Slam is an opportunity to take learning beyond the classroom, to push students to try new things, build community and a sense of belonging, and ultimately to celebrate our students' creativity, courage, and unique voices,” said Melanie Karaffa, JCCS instructional coach and event coordinator. 

The event was very much about students and student voice. Monarch School students Mariyah and Leonidas served as co-emcees, guiding the event with enthusiasm and continuous encouragement. 

Poetry topics included sports, relationships, life events, native homelands, and more.

Many of the students said they enjoyed listening to everyone’s poems and gained confidence sharing their work and speaking in front of their peers. 

This was the second year for the Poetry Slam. Karaffa got the idea for the Poetry Slam after learning about the Get Lit curriculum at the 2024 SDCOE Equity Conference and implemented it in JCCS. 

Here are two poems students shared at the event.

Into the Light of Day

By Leonidas King, Monarch School

The poem I am responding to is “Acquainted with the Night” by Robert Frost. 

What does it mean to be acquainted with the night?
To wonder what the light is like? 
To wish you could see the world in bright and colorful hues, like red, pink, green, blue or white….
But instead reality is black and grey - completely devoid of any color in sight. 
You search and search for something to just jump at you. 
To pop out at you and pull you out of the dark to say everything is fine. 
But it's not fine. 
It's not right.
And you might think it's impossible to change
That everything will stay the same and one acquainted with the night is all you'll ever be. 
But that's not the case….
You can change. 
You can choose to stand and say that I'm NO LONGER afraid. 
NO LONGER that little kid who was too afraid to take his stand and say that is not okay!!
That everyday I think and think about lost words and lost days where I refused to reach out because I was afraid!  
But I've come to accept myself ... I've come to accept that I'll never be the same.
Never be that guy who lived to make others happy at the cost of his own comfort. That kid struggling to glue everything together. Never that kid who was cleaning up a mess he didn't make - piecing together a glass house he didn't break… 
I refuse to live for others. Cause this is my LIFE. My one chance to be something great. 
But please don't confuse my revelation as a cry for you to take the wheel and save the day.
Because I am afraid.
But I can stand and say that I'll be okay - BETTER than okay
I'll be great. The greatest to ever do it - the greatest of my day. 
From this point on I refuse to sit quietly in the background. 
Because I'm a star. 
And I didn't come here to play. 
No longer am I one who is acquainted with the night. 
But one who chose to stand face to face with my demons.
And embrace…
The light of day.

Final Doubt Of Life

By Geovoni Espalin, Monarch School

The poem I am responding to is an excerpt from “Final Hour” by Lauryn Hill. 

Changing Focus from richest to brokest,
It's like finding out who would and wouldn’t take your last token.
She's not telling anyone this a million times
Not unless you're paying her more than a dime.
Broke people got nothing’ to do but kick rocks, 
I doubt they’ll pull some money out of their socks.
There are multiple hard lifes that people have to own, 
But these lives have a cost, walk out and get domed.
A bullet down your skull tears in mama's eyes as she has to lay your bones.
To get green, it's hard without a team,
But a trustworthy team, open your screen and see no green.
Everyone just wants a better life,
But to live right, you have to put up a fight.
To live a successful life it's hard no doubt, 
To make a change, you have to show people what you're about.
For me growing up was hard, all I saw was people sleeping in cars.
Other kids like me were very rare to see.
The way I grow up will affect the way people see me as a person. 
I live a better life and have plans for success that's no doubt.
I’ve always had doubt in my ability. 
I've always doubted my family's ability.
I've always doubted God's ability, until he saw me. 
Then I only thought God was it.
I only thought I had god, until god showed me what I really had.
I've always had my anger and sadness in my palms
I'm always remaining calm because I think of the 73 Psalm.
I make sure to keep my eyes on the final hour.
 It's only ensuring what I desire, and that's power.
It's life.
It's the family.
It's God.
It's the doubt.
It's the final life of doubt.