SpringfieldNewsSun.com

About 20 Springfield teenagers will experience a life's first together — a poetry slam.

For a two-week period the group, facilitated by Project Jericho, mentally sweated through a poetry boot camp.

All the writing and performance coaching will lead to a competition —a poetry slam — at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Springfield Museum of Art.

Poetry slam is a combination of written poetry performed through verbal and physical expression.

Project Jericho provides performing arts opportunities to at-risk youth and their families.

The teens will select two poems to read in the competition and will be judged on their poem's content and delivery on a scale of zero to 10.

Brittany Bass joined the workshop because of her strong interest in poetry. However, the work pushed her down a road less traveled — speaking in front of people.

The 17-year-old, who started writing poems in the sixth grade, showed stage fright early in the process. But after some insistent, boisterous peer pressure, Bass made her way to the mic.

Now, she does it without much coaxing.

Fred Kirchner, a children's librarian for Dayton Metro Library and area poet, said the kids have come through for each other by pushing one another to perform.

Project Jericho Specialist Sarah Leavens said the workshop has been a tool, not only to introduce the teens to an untapped talent but also to teach them a way of expressing themselves positively.

Tony Smyder said he normally isn't shy when it comes to the spotlight, but spoken word presented a challenge for him.

"It gives me the courage to do stuff I wouldn't normally do," the 15-year-old rapper said. He said he's glad to have an outlet to get problems and circumstances off his chest.

The group wrote poetry about various topics — relationships, violence, hope, abuse and acceptance.

The teens got a surprise visit from Scott Woods, president of Poetry Slam Inc., a nonprofit organization that oversees international poetry slam competitions.

Woods, of Columbus, demonstrated a spoken word performance and did poetry exercises.

A poetry slam is a great way to get people over their fear of public speaking, he said.

"Anytime you get a child on a mic it does wonders for their self esteem," Woods said.

Kirchner said he has been impressed at how the teens have handled the ambitious task.

"The best thing for them is to hear people clapping at what they wrote," he said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0353 or lathompson@coxohio.com