Round 11 of the poetry slam opens to a fresh audience and a new set of judges. A line of seven contestants waits anxiously for their turn to open up to their fellow NW students: Lauren Paccapaniccia, Emily Rucker, Erica Esch, Brandon Smith, Alex Kindrick, Hallie Ingraham and Amelia Guglielmi.

Brandon Smith presented a patriotic poem saying: ‘We don’t have the Eiffel Tower, nor do we have Big Ben. But we have the bald freakin’ eagle, and for that I say Amen.’

“I love America it’s my favorite place I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” said Smith. “I think if we put our country before ourselves sometimes our country can be grow to be great.”

And waiting for her turn in Round 11 is junior Clara Davison and another five contestants.

“I’m nervous but really excited,” said Davison. “The momentum in here has really gone up so much in the last two or three rounds. It’s about to get real.”