Bowling Green, Ky. - The Western Kentucky University Department of Communication’s student Ambassadors have collaborated with Greenhouse Poetry Inc. to invite Bowling Green students and community members to an event they won’t forget --  a Slam Poetry contest.  

The Communication Ambassadors will host a Slam Poetry contest at 8 p.m. Oct. 11 at the Garrett Conference Center Auditorium. Participants will be judged by five randomly selected members of the audience and will compete for prize money.

Admission is $3. The competition is open to anyone who wants to enter. All proceeds go to support the Communication Ambassadors, a student organization within the Department of Communication, and Greenhouse Poetry Inc., a community-oriented nonprofit organization.

Greenhouse Poetry Inc., founded in January 2006, has become a staple of the Bowling Green art scene having performed at such popular venues as the Capitol Arts Theatre, 440 Main, Tidballs, Java House and Spencer’s Coffee shop.  “In the Greenhouse, we’re all about bringing people together. Our slogan is ‘speak.listen.grow.’  We take issues and educate ourselves and others about them in an entertaining way, through poetry,” Greenhouse director Stacy Bernaugh said.

“Slam Poetry itself is a mix between good old-fashioned poetry and rhetoric,” Bernaugh said. “Slam comes in all different styles -- haikus, raps, ballads -- but emphasizes performance and critical thinking.” 

The performances should be no more than three minutes long.  The contest consists of a preliminary round, semifinals and final. Participants should prepare to perform three poems, one for each round.   

Both the Communication Ambassadors and Greenhouse Poetry Inc. aim to host a celebration of words and communication that will get people involved. Because Greenhouse focuses on community enrichment and has new poets trying their voice at performance poetry at every Slam, the organization has impressed community members of all ages.  

“A significant part of what we do is teach workshops for students and adults who want to slam,” said Greenhouse education coordinator Bonny McDonald. “Spoken word allows a community to carve out a creative space for people, young and old. We facilitate that with free workshops for youths and adults.”

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Communication Department at (270) 745-3296.

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