Youth voices take centre stage at Bocas Spoken Word Intercol finals

A dramatic take on the impact of artificial intelligence on creativity won first place at the 2025 Bocas Spoken Word Intercol Finals on December 10.

Sixteen-year-old Amaru Johnson of Naparima Boys’ College, San Fernando, emerged as the Intercol champion with a gripping performance of Are You Another Reporter, earning a cash prize of $5,000 plus a donation to his school library.

Kimani Vasconcellos of El Dorado East Secondary School placed second with his piece Mediocrity is the Poison to Success, winning $2,500 and a donation to his school library, followed by Megan Perry of Bishop’s High School, Tobago, whose piece Tobago Obstructed View won her third place of $1,500 and a donation to her school library, said a media release.

Hosted by the Bocas Lit Fest at San Fernando City Hall, the Bocas Spoken Word Intercol Finals marked the culmination of a nationwide spoken word pilot programme dedicated to developing, showcasing and amplifying the voices of young poets across Trinidad and Tobago. The intercol was preceded by the We Lit School Tour, which visited 11 schools and reached over 600 students across TT. Through a structured three-phase rollout over six weeks, that included interactive workshops led by veteran spoken word poets, auditions and finals.

Forty-one participants from nine schools advanced to auditions and 15 finalists delivered compelling performances that explored themes of identity, advocacy, community, ambition and national consciousness. Students were coached and mentored by leading spoken word artists and First Citizens National Poetry Slam winners and finalists Camryn Bruno, Javaughn Forde, Derron Sandy, Alexandra C Stewart, Deneka Thomas and Shakira Burton, following their participation in the We Lit School Tour’s interactive sessions.

At the finals, chief judge and spoken word artist Seth Sylvester, joined fellow adjudicators Ambika Isaac, curriculum officer - reading at the Ministry of Education, and Jean-Claude Cournand, entrepreneur and co-founder of the 2Cents Movement, in assessing literary merit, performance, delivery and content. Auditions were judged by distinguished panels including guitarist, composer and creative strategist Kiwan Landreth-Smith; actor, musician, and mas practitioner Nickolai Salcedo; award-winning playwright, director and performer Patti-Anne Ali; and strategic communications leader and youth advocate Jewel R Greene-George.

This inaugural programme was made possible through the support of the JB Fernandes Memorial Trust and endorsed by the Ministry of Education, reinforcing the shared national vision of promoting youth literacy, creative talent development, and cultural empowerment, the release said.

Reflecting on the success of the initiative, Marielle Forbes, Bocas Lit Fest youth programming and hospitality manager, said, “The Bocas Spoken Word Intercol is a vital new platform that celebrates the literary talent and creative brilliance of our nation’s secondary school students.

As a pilot project, it offered young people a safe and dynamic space to express their truths, sharpen their voices and engage meaningfully with language and storytelling. Beyond performance, it nurtures personal confidence, critical thinking and early professional development, empowering the next generation of creative and cultural leaders, the release said.

The Bocas Lit Fest congratulates all participants and finalists and commends the educators, coaches, and creative facilitators whose mentorship guided students from first drafts to electrifying stage performances. This milestone signals a new phase in a growing and dynamic national movement in youth spoken word