Poetry Slam Showcases Student Talent

The crowd at the poetry slam listening to the Olivet Jazz Band play before the poems are read.

OLIVET, Mich. - The University of Olivet hosted its first annual Poetry Slam on Monday, Oct. 27, to kick off Health and Wellness Week. The English department and The Health and Wellness Center partnered together to make this event happen. 

“No matter what you're writing about, writing can often help your wellness,” Laura Barlond-Maas, Associate Professor of English said.

At the event the Olivet Jazz Band started playing music at 6:30 p.m. to set the tone for the night. Hot chocolate, snacks, and cookies were also available for attendees. The reading of the poems started at 7 p.m. 

“I’m here to read my poem, it's about mental health, so I decided to talk about my journey with football through it, kind of focus on that with my poem.” Garrett Gee, a senior, said.

With it being the kickoff for Health and Wellness Week, promoting healthy coping skills was a goal of Robin Luckadoo-Chadderon, director of counseling, health and wellness. 

“We want the poets to feel heard, we want the people to feel inspired, we want to create a sense of safety and celebration in recovery,” Luckadoo-Chadderon said. 

There were 10 people reading their chosen poems. The theme chosen by Barlond-Maas and her students was Life Lines: Break the

Silence.

“This event is a great opportunity for students to showcase their work they've been doing over the semester and it's a good community event to bring people together on a topic that's sometimes hard to talk about,” Faith Fowler, a junior, said. 

There was also a mocktail party and a Comedian Michael McDaniels hosted in the Student Center Community Room starting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28. On Wednesday, Oct. 29, the Wellness Expo was held at the Cutler Student Center Community Room from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday Oct. 30, The Courage to Rise, an unmasking story telling event that is held in the Klock Commons at 7 p.m. Lastly to conclude Health and Wellness Week peer coaches are hosting a smores event.