On April 5, 2025, our school held the inaugural SPEAK Poetry conference. The conference serves to breach the gap between divided communities and racial reconciliation. Whilst volunteering at the conference, I was able to attend breakout sessions, watch a keynote speaker, witness panels, and compete in an oratory competition. The keynote speaker was Dr. Agenia Walker Clark, the first black female graduate from St. Paul’s and the present-day president of Fisk University.
Later on, we had the opportunity to attend breakout sessions that prompted reflection and sought to enhance the attendees’ overall skillset. These breakout sessions reviewed public speaking, mind and body connection, physical art in connection to poetry, and a class where we reflected on God’s goodness and made origami hearts.
Afterwards, we all ate a catered Meat Boss lunch, filling ourselves with pork and chicken sandwiches, chips, and banana pudding. Then we returned to the theatre for a panel of local representatives and various figures from around the country, who answered meaningful and insightful queries.
Then came the competitions, consisting of three categories with a variety of topics. The categories consisted of poetry, original oratory, and storytelling. I had the privilege of competing in storytelling, in which I shared the story of my godmother’s grandfather.
After a few rounds of competing, the judges were ready to share the results. Of the four winners, who each won $500, three were from right here at home! Will Abrams won best in poetry for “If the Walls Could Talk.” Lila Applewhite won the spoken word category for her piece, “Texas, You Are Always on My Mind.” Elsa Precht also won on the poetry front, winning with her piece, “As the World Moves Backwards.” The fourth and final winner was Theodore High School freshman Victoria Pritchett.
Afterwards, participants were able to win gift cards via trivia, which, to my surprise, I was able to win an AMC gift card for answering a question based on the previous panel’s answers. All in all, the conference was a success, and organizer and St. Paul’s teacher Angelica Howard continues to leave a lasting legacy here at St. Paul’s.
“This conference was a labor of love born from a vision I couldn’t ignore,” Howard says. “As someone who believes deeply in the power of connection and storytelling, it meant the world to see students from all backgrounds engaging with leaders across communities. I’m honored to have played a part in creating something so meaningful and unifying, and I hope to see it grow into a staple in this community for years to come.”
