MSQI's commitment to middle school literacy calls for engaging entry points to critically analyze text and give students voice.

Every year, Urban Word NYC and the Middle School Quality Initiative team up to engage dozens of middle schools throughout New York City in spoken word poetry. The Words & Verbs Spoken Word Poetry Initiative (W&V) brings spoken word curriculum, world-class teaching artists (Urban Word Mentors), and several captivating events to light a fire in school communities across the city.

The Words & Verbs Program offers MSQI schools free poetry and creative writing workshops with their students as well as Professional Development workshops for their educators on best practices, CRSE, and arts integration into curriculum. At the end of the year, MSQI schools will have the opportunity to send poets to represent their schools in a regional and city-wide poetry slam competition. The top 5 students are named Words & Verbs Slam Champions and receive special prizes!