Knicks Poetry Slam Program was created in 2003 and serves over 10,000 NYC teens annually with free writing and performance opportunities, as well as educational resources and scholarships.

Urban Word NYC and the NY Knicks recognize the importance of higher education for the next generation of writers, poets, emcees, leaders and scholars, and provide year-round programming to address these needs. Along with hosting the biggest college fair in NYC, The Pre-College Experience, this program awards over $150,000 in scholarships to Tri-State area students, including full scholarships to Mercy College and the innovative First Wave Program at the University of Wisconsin.

Knicks Poetry Slam program is comprised of a number of components including: poetry slams, writing workshops, and written competitions. Please visit www.knickspoetryslam.com for program rules, to register and to receive updates on slams, scholarships and prizes. Timeline of the program includes:

September - December: Creatively College Bound at Urban Word NYC

• Get a jump start on the college admissions process
• Write creative and engaging essays that can gain you admission, and get you money!
• To sign up for Creatively College Bound classes email signup@urbanwordnyc.org

November: The Pre-College Experience

Saturday November 7, 2009 10-2pm -Manhattan Center, 311 W 34thS treet

• NYC’s biggest College Fair with over 45 colleges and universities represented
• Open Poetry Audition: Perform a minute-poem to advance in the running for cash scholarships
• Live Entertainment, including hip-hop, poetry, steppers, breakers & DJs
• NY Knicks appearances and celebrity guests
• Financial aid workshops and seminars
• FREE!!

• Teens who advance from the Open Audition participate in six-weeks of dynamic writing and performance workshops to
sharpen their skills and take their performance to the next level
• Learn from today’s hottest poets, Def poets and authors, who are part of UW’s award-winning roster of mentors

• Fresh off their writing workshops, advancing poets compete for a chance to win cash scholarships and prizes
• Slams are held at NYC’s hottest poetry venues including the Nuyorican Poets Café

• Come watch the top ten poets perform for a chance to win cash scholarships. Each finalist will win at least $1,000 to the college of their choice, with the winner taking home $10,000

• All Knicks Open Audition and poetry slam participants are pre-enrolled for NYC’s biggest teen poetry slam, spanning 10 nights, and culminating with the Grand Slam Final at the Apollo Theater

• Join the NY Knicks, NY Liberty & Urban Word NYC as they present an open slam series once a month with multiple prizes including laptops, iPods, gift certificates, game and concert tickets and more