Rapping and poetry is a hobby to many, but some students are taking this art to the next level.

“You want to give the audience something to relate to because then they all can connect,” says junior poet and rapper Aubry Dupiton.

ETHS gives students many opportunities to share their poetry. For example, on Feb. 11 all students are allowed to perform at the open mic in the Little Theater. This is a great chance for students to speak out and perform in a smaller environment.

Poetry is something students use to be heard. They talk about their own lives, but also issues they see in the community. The goal with these poems is to share them at various events and open mics.

There are many other poetry opportunities as well. For example, there is a hip hop club, poetry club, and a Louder Than A Bomb team. Louder Than A Bomb is a high school slam poetry competition. The coach and sponsor, Chuck Carra, calls these groups “poetic families”.

“The recognition words are powerful and can reach people. It is a method for speaking the raw truth speaking up against power and injustice,” Carra says.

In the hip hop club, Carra takes interested students to studios where they can record. They all share passion for the music. Meanwhile, in the poetry club students bring in their work and can perform for their peers. They also analyze poetry.

Some students take poetry and rap outside of ETHS. For example, Aubry and his partner Noah McKay upload music on Soundcloud for everyone to hear. They have performed at venues such as the Vineyard Church. You also may have seen them perform one of their songs at the pep rally.

Both of them want to take music to the next level, perhaps even a profession. However, they both realize the entertainment industry can be very difficult.

“I would never sign with an artist. They take those rappers and shove them,” Noah comments. “You don’t get to make music for yourself. They want you to change into like an industry robot,”

Noah and Aubry are both active members of the clubs as well along with many others. There are eight people on the L.T.A.B team. There is a “nucleus of 10-15 kids” for Poetry Club according to Carra. This club has become more popular because of the increase in love of hip hop in the world.

“I think a lot of people that are into rap but aren’t into rapping can access poetry,” Carra says. “That hip hop energy has transferred into poetry and has really livened it up.”

Poetry is very accessible to all students. Aubry talks about how poetry “comes from living.” He writes poems and raps about everyday life and the problems that occur. This is an outlet for students to voice opinions.

According to a Stanford University article, the youth uses hip hop as an outlet for conflict in their lives. Although there has been evidence that hip hop can spark violence among teens, it is said to be very important for them to speak their mind about the struggles they go through. Poetry and hip hop at ETHS is allowing students to do just that.