Charger Challenge

2026 — Draper, UT/US

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Async Poetry

Event Description:

Poetry (POE) is a five-minute event (with a 30-second grace period) that focuses on the power of language, expression, and emotional connection. Through the performance of published poems, students convey complex ideas, personal experiences, and deep emotions, often in creative and thought-provoking ways.

Unlike Original Spoken Word Poetry, where students write their own material, Poetry Interpretation features the performance of works written by others. All performances must be from a manuscript (which may be in a folder), and students are expected to bring the text to life using vocal nuance, purposeful pacing, and emotional resonance without the aid of props or costumes. This event is ideal for students with a strong sense of voice, a love for literature, and the ability to shape meaning through intentional delivery.

Poetry may tell a story or develop a character, but its primary emphasis is on language and form. Whether traditional, with rhyme and meter, or nontraditional, with free verse and rhythmic flow, Poetry invites audiences to reflect, feel, and think critically. Students can choose to perform one long poem or construct a thematic program using multiple poems, either from a single source or from various authors.