Students find their voice at Xenion High School Youth Poetry Slam
On January 22, 2026, Xenion High School hosted the Second Youth Poetry Slam, bringing together young voices from Xenion High School, the Heritage Private School Limassol and the American Academy Larnaca. Students from across the country gathered for the event which saw poetry transformed from something written by students in silence and solitude, into something lived aloud and shared through movement, voice and emotion.
The event opened with a series of inspiring workshops led by poets Annetta Benzar, Maria Kouvarou and Andros Zacharia. The trio introduced poetry as a performative and competitive art form, rooted in expression rather than perfection. They encouraged participants to see poetry not as a set of rules, but as a space where individuality, vulnerability and imagination exist freely and openly. The discussions and interactive activities invited the students to step beyond their comfort zones, focus on the present moment, and discover how to create captivating performances from their emotions, memories and everyday experiences.
A central theme to the series of workshops was the question of what poetry truly is, with the answers as varied as the people offering them. The students described poetry as a way to express the inexpressible, a funhouse for language and sound, a space to explore humanity, and a platform to make sense of complex emotions. The poets emphasised that there is no right or wrong way to write, stressing that openness and honesty matter more than technical accuracy. Particular focus was placed on performance, with emphasis on voice, body, presence, and the fact that, while words are important, the feeling a poem leaves behind is what creates a connection with their audience.
As the day progressed, the atmosphere grew increasingly supportive. The students from the different schools bonded over shared nerves and excitement, creating a sense of community that carried into the poetry slam itself. The amphitheatre became a space of attentive silence and emotional intensity as the students stepped onto the stage one by one. The poems explored the themes of identity, fear, injustice, mental health, belonging and self-acceptance, with each poem shaped by personal experience and perspective. Participants also had the opportunity to take part in interviews conducted by student journalists, capturing how they felt both before and after their performances.
The judging panel included Benzar, Kouvarou and Zacharia, alongside Alexandros Chronides and Ideogramma co-founder Nora Hadjisotiriou. The challenging task of selecting the winners resulted in the upper school prize being awarded to Makayla Ejodame from the American Academy, while the lower school prize was awarded to Raaisha Gupta from Heritage. Both performances were recognised for their strong presence, emotional depth, and ability to connect with the audience. As a result, they have earned the opportunity to perform at the National Poetry Slam, where they will share the stage with internationally recognised poets.
The first and second runners-up for the upper school were Kristina Kovalenko from Heritage and Evita Troisi from Xenion, while the first and second runners-up for the lower school were Leith Ryan Meshal from Heritage and Samantha Cummings from Xenion. High achievement awards were granted to Sophie Plumtree and Ariel Reuveni Cohen, both from Heritage. A popular vote was also decided through live audience voting, with Ejodame placing first, followed closely by Meshal and Cummings.
Regardless of the results, every participant left the stage having taken a step towards owning their voice. The students’ energy proved that poetry is not limited to age, structure or theme, but instead lives in expression, honesty and a willingness to be open. This year’s Youth Poetry Slam at Xenion High School served as a reminder that when young people are given the space to speak freely, poetry becomes not only an art form, but a shared language that unites people.