RESCHEDULED to May 31, 2008 at 6:00pm at Ruta Maya 3601 S. Congress, Austin , Texas

We think Bugs Bunny and Friends said it best: “Overture, curb the lights. This is it, the night of nights. No more rehearsing or nursing the part. We know every part by heart. Overture, curb the lights. This is it, the height of heights. And oh what heights we’ll hit. On (kick) with the show (kick) this is it!” (Shake the top hat).

Yes, folks, this is it. The night many young poets, their friends and family, and their beloved teachers have waited for; the final competition of the year to determine, once the dust settles, which four talented youth poets will become Team Austin at the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival in the nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C.

The finalist are the best young poets of the 2007-2008 season. And like the democratic primary
itself, the poets have spoken on everything from God to guns, schools to war, and everything in between. What better place than Washington for the next generation to bring the issues of the nation, and the youth, to the front door of power. What better time than now. This is NOTHING like those boring presidential debates or congressmen on C-SPAN. Ladies and Gentlemen, This is SLAM!

We cordially invite you to come see which of Austin’s future leaders will be giving those politicians a
much needed lesson in speechifyin’!!! The finalists are:

Brandon “B-Shatter” Harris
Ruby Willmann – LBJ H.S.
Sonia Washington – Garza H.S.
Margaret Olson – Cedar Park, H.S.
Cora Lee – Austin, H.S.
Nick Cruz – Travis H.S.
Shay Harris – Reagan H.S.
Telvi Altamirano- Travis H.S.
Haley Haradon- Lanier H.S.

We wish each of these fine young writers and performers good luck as they compete for the four
positions on the 2008 Austin Under 21 Slam Team going to Washington, D.C. Attached is a flyer for the
show. Please feel free to share it with family and friends through your MySpace and FaceBook accounts or print copies to give to others. We encourage you to get a group together and come out for a night moving youth spoken word.

Last season’s Austin Under 21 Poetry Slam Team took BNV in San Jose, California by storm, stunning
audiences and judges alike with their brilliant group pieces. Coached by the incomparable Mike Whalen, (Neo Soul coach to the finals of the National Poetry Slam) the Under 21 Slam Team represented the spirit of Austin with their creativity and team spirit. 2007 Slam Champion Shay Harris (Reagan H.S.), Ruby Wilmann (LBJ H.S.), Brent Caballero (Hendrickson H.S.), and 2006 Slam Champion Jonathon “Korim” Sterling made us proud with their 6th place finish, competing against over 200 other youth poets from around the United States and England.

In 2007, students from schools across the Greater Austin area including Bastrop , Cedar Park , Austin ,
Hendrickson, LBJ, Westwood, Pflugerville, San Marcos, and St. Stephen’s Episcopal High Schools, as well as Austin Community College competed in the Austin City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slams.

Participants in the City Wide Under 21 Poetry Slam have represented Austin at the Brave New Voices
International Youth Poetry Slam Festivals in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and San Jose. The top four poets of this season will win an all expense trip to Washington D.C., just in time to
speak their minds before the national elections! Come see the creation of the next iteration of nationally recognized writers and performers, the continuation of the quality tradition that is the Austin Under 21 Slam Team.

This Texas Youth Word Collective youth literacy project is graciously funded in part by the City of
Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by grant from the National Endowment for the Arts through the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Presented by The Texas Youth Word Collective, $10 cover, $5 students, free under 5

CONTACTS:
Ron Horne (512) 632-5033
Dr. Sheila Siobhan (512) 422-6653
Co-Directors

E-Mail: u21slam@yahoo.com
Website: www.txywc.org