Today, Youth Speaks, a world leader in youth development and spoken word performance, kicks off the beginning of the "Brave New Schools" competition—a national contest boasting spoken word, hip-hop and poetry. In collaboration with XQ Institute, the competition is purposed to use the power from the art of spoken word to help spark the conversation about how to transform the face of high school and public education. The partnership between the two organizations will launch a series of 20 town halls where young people can broadcast their poems, stories and dreams to reimagine the experiences endured in public high school.

With up to $50,000 in prizes, scholarship awards will range from $1,000 to $4,000 with additional incentives of up to $2,500 for teachers and nonprofits who encourage students to participate. Furthermore, a specific group of participants will also receive a treasured chance to travel to Los Angeles, California to attend a live event cultivated to motivate and empower the entire country about reshaping public education in high schools near and far.

Established in 1996, Youth Speaks is one of the world’s leading advocates of education, youth empowerment and spoken word. Based in San Francisco, the organization has produced numerous festivals, poetry slams and reading events. By intertwining arts education and youth development practices, the organization is cherished for creating safe spaces that challenge young people to discover, develop and deliver statements and presentations rooted in changing society. To further emphasize its focus towards education, the group works around the clock to administer a number of art-based educational programs in schools and local communities. Over the past 21 years, the team has produced nationally acclaimed programming in theater and technology, which has helped kick start an extensive network of over 70 programs.

Brandon Santiago, an alumnus of the Youth Speaks program who now serves as the organization's Co-Program Director, credited the work of the program for helping guide his future in the right direction. Since 2005, he has been extensively involved with the efforts put forth by the powerful network and now values his role in bringing the new competition to the forefront. When reflecting on how much he has benefitted from the program, he stated, “For me, going from high school where I was afraid, quiet, and a high school dropout — being involved in Youth Speaks gave me a possibility mindset of someone who has something to say.”

The contest, running from today through June 18, 2017, will also give attention to Adobe Project 1324, an innovative online platform that promotes a global network of rising artists connects and amplifies a global community of emerging artists. All individuals between the ages of 13 to 24 are welcome to participate by submitting an original poem, rap, or story lasting up to three minutes and addressing the theme of rethinking high school.

When thinking about the purpose of the organization and competition, Youth Speaks Founder and Executive Director, James Kass shared, “We’ve seen millions of young people representing all different demographics who thrive when given the space to tell their story.” Further, he emphasized, “Young people themselves have to be a part of defining the value of young people.”


To learn more about the Brave New Schools competition and how to enter, visit www.bravenewschools.org in addition to watching the competition's promo video. To find out more about Youth Speaks and the XQ Institute, visit www.youthspeaks.org and http://www.xqinstitute.org/.