From left to right: Adrianna Serrano-Rios of Holyoke High School, North Campus (2nd Place), Izaria Thomas of Springfield Honors Academy (3rd Place), and Julianys Centeno of Holyoke High School, Dean Campus (1st Place). Photo by David Molnar.

Northampton, MA (April 7, 2025) — On Saturday, April 5, 2025, young poets from across western Massachusetts took center stage with powerful performances and original works. The 2025 Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam, produced by the Academy of Music Theatre and hosted by Lyrical Faith, delivered an unforgettable evening of deeply expressive, impactful, and raw artistry. The young poets, hailing from high schools in Springfield, Holyoke, Amherst, and Westfield, brought the house down with electric performances and left the audience on its feet with a standing ovation for the winners and all the young participants.

The young poets of the Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam.

The mission of the Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam is to empower the youth of the Pioneer Valley through the art of spoken-word poetry and storytelling. This competition serves high school poets in grades 9-12 from schools across Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties. Organized by the Academy of Music Theatre, the event is proudly sponsored by Smith College and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, with funding in part from a grant by the Northampton Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Special thanks go to the event’s partnering organizations: Forbes Library in Northampton and The Boutelle-Day Poetry Center at Smith College. The Academy of Music Theatre’s 2024-25 Season Series is made possible through the generous support of the Select Equity Group Foundation.

“The Youth Poetry Slam is a powerful reminder of the insight, courage, and creativity young people bring to the mic,” said Debra J’Anthony, Executive Director of the Academy of Music Theatre. “By uplifting youth voices, we’re investing in the future of storytelling and our communities.”

The winners of the 2025 Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam are Julianys Centeno of Holyoke High School, Dean Campus (1st Place), Adrianna Serrano-Rios of Holyoke High School, North Campus (2nd Place), and Izaria Thomas of Springfield Honors Academy (3rd Place). These winning poets captivated the audience with powerful performances exploring themes of Black pride, Puerto Rican heritage, identity, body image, and the struggles and triumphs of womanhood. An honorable mention was awarded to Samara “The Chef” Thadison of Holyoke High School, Dean Campus, for her standout performance and compelling stage presence. 

Julianys Centeno of Holyoke High School-Dean Campus, winner of the 2025 Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam. Photo by David Molnar.

“It was an amazing experience, and I’d do it again!” said Julianys Centeno, first-place winner of the 2025 Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam. “To anyone questioning their interest in poetry, just do it! Share your story, your feelings, your life—it’ll be so worth it. Move people with your words and poetry!”

Ten talented students from Holyoke High School’s Dean and North campuses, Springfield Honors Academy, Springfield Conservatory of the Arts, Westfield High School, and Amherst Regional High School took the stage, performing for an enthusiastic audience of over 150 attendees. The judges for this event included Nicole Young-Martin, an award-winning writer, educator, and performer based in Connecticut and Western MA and the founder, producer, and host of the podcast, Black Writers Read; Qua’Nae Golston-Thomas, a Political Science major at UMass Amherst, creator and host of the podcast Let’s Talk with Qua’Nae, a member of the official slam poetry team at UMass Amherst, and alumni of the Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam; Eliza Keenan, an English student at UMass Amherst and a top-5 Massachusetts state finalist for the national Poetry Out Loud contest; Richie Wills, a Nigerian-American writer and Multidisciplinary Artist currently pursuing an MFA in Prose with a certificate in Film Studies at UMaass Amherst; and Jen Jabaily-Blackburn, a published author and poet, and Program & Outreach coordinator for the Boutelle-Day Poetry Center at Smith College.

From left to right: Poetry slam judges Eliza Keenan, Qua’Nae Golston-Thomas, Richie Wills, Jen Jabaily-Blackburn, and Nicole Young-Martin. Photo by David Molnar.

The poets were introduced to the Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam through workshops held at Forbes Library and Smith College and, with the support of their dedicated educators, have been preparing for the slam since February. In addition to $400 in cash prizes, the winners will be invited to present their poetry at Poetry and Pie during the Florence Poetry Carnival at the BOMBYX Center for Arts & Equity in Northampton, MA on April 26, 2025, as well as at the Juniper Institute for Young Writers at UMass Amherst in June and July of 2025.

Those who are interested in supporting future poetry slam events can sign up for the Academy newsletter, become a sponsor or underwriter, or volunteer by contacting youthpoetry@aomtheatre.com. Watch a video recording of the winning performances on the Academy’s YouTube page, launching soon at https://www.youtube.com/@aomtheatre. 

For educators and high school poets interested in next year’s slam, the Academy of Music Theatre will be announcing the event date in May, with tickets going on sale in June and nomination forms opening in October. Join the Academy in fostering a deep, enduring love for the arts and creating enchanting moments. For more information on participating in the Academy Youth Theatre Productions, please visit aomtheatre.com/regional-youth-poetry-slam/.

From left to right, front row to back row: Samara “The Chef” Thadison, Holyoke High School – Dean Campus; Thanisha Martinez, Holyoke High School – Dean Campus; Adrianna Serrano-Rios, Holyoke High School – North Campus; Espin Santiago, Westfield High School; Julianys Centeno, Holyoke High School – Dean Campus; Maria “Lovely” Roblez, Holyoke High School – Dean Campus; Izaria “Izzie” Thomas, Springfield Honors Academy; Lyrical Faith, host and organizer; Melanie Rivas, Springfield Conservatory of the Arts; and Allyson Klement, Amherst Regional High School. Photo by David Molnar.