Senior Aleecia Roberson and Junior Cierra Freeman lead DECA marketing students to help organize The Poetry Wham at the Zona Rosa Vintage Arts Festival held on September 17 2016 from 3-5 pm.

Roberson and Freeman had many meetings with the owners and marketing managers of Zona Rosa to help rebrand the Zona Rosa Vintage Arts Festival and organize the Poetry Wham. DECA marketing students helped promote the art festival and Poetry Wham through online websites, school announcements, posters and social media.

“The Poetry Wham was a special event intended just for high school students in the North Kansas City School District to finally come together as a community and get students involved and have fun doing something everyone could participate in,” Roberson said.

Six students from North Kansas City High School participated in the slam. Students who wanted to participate submitted a 2-minute sample video of their poem online, and the best contestants were chosen by Zona Rosa headquarters, Eddie James, DECA sponsor, Roberson, and Freeman.

“The Poetry Wham is all about a positive theme for children that may have been in the audience, their poems could have been humorous, exciting, and light hearted. We didn’t want poems to be angry, sad or evoke hatred,” Roberson said.

Once contestants were chosen they got to perform their poems in the Zona Rosa Town Square, they also had the chance to win prizes like Zona Rosa gift cards. There was also a DJ that played music for the audience and contestants to dance to.