Jason Taylor Foundation to Host Fourth Annual Louder Than A Bomb Florida Poetry Festival from March 26 – April 21, 2018

For the fourth consecutive year, the Jason Taylor Foundation is giving the South Florida community the chance to witness the top youth poets in the state compete during a cutting edge event – the Louder Than A Bomb Florida Poetry Festival presented by Nova Southeastern University and UPS. This highly anticipated event takes place from March 26 – April 21, 2018.

Dubbed the “Super Bowl of poetry,” Louder Than A Bomb Florida (LTABFLA), a Jason Taylor Foundation arts and education project, features a friendly spoken-word competition between school-based poetry teams representing high schools from across the state. Funding from Nova Southeastern University, UPS and a host of other community partners has assisted the Jason Taylor Foundation support the schools’ efforts by providing year-round, in-class and after-school instruction, which will culminate in this 27-day festival.

For the first time in LTABFLA history, a Central Florida preliminary round has been added to the competition and will feature schools representing Brevard, Columbia, Duval, Hillsborough, Orange and St. Lucie counties, while the South Florida regional bracket will be comprised of more than 30 schools from Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. 

“This is without a doubt one of my favorite times of the year,” said Pro Football Hall of Famer, Jason Taylor. “Each and every day we are witness to the power of young voices and Louder Than A Bomb Florida showcases this power on dynamic stages and in spectacular venues. I love that our reach continues to expand and that LTABFLA can bring so many youth from different backgrounds together to celebrate their stories, strengthen their schools and transform communities.” 

The schedule of events for Louder Than A Bomb Florida is as follows:

Event	Date	Time	Location
Central Florida Preliminary Bouts	Wednesday, March 28, 2018	8:30 – 10:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.	Loews Royal Pacific Resort – Universal Studios
South Florida Preliminary Bouts – Day One	Tuesday, April 3, 2018	8:30 – 10:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.	Little Haiti Cultural Complex Miramar Cultural Center - Advertisement - PlugIN Ted’s at YoungArts
Town Hall Meeting Safe Spaces; Safe Schools	Monday, April 9, 2018	6:30 – 8:30 p.m.	Knight Auditorium, Nova Southeastern University
Amp’d Up – bluapple Teaching Artist Showcase	Wednesday, April 11, 2018	6:00 – 8:00 p.m.	Sunrise Civic Center Amphitheater

Since founding the Bluapple Poetry Network with actor and poet Omari Hardwick in 2012, the Foundation has helped more than 65 schools activate this program, with more than 1,200 participants inspiring their communities with poetry.

Louder Than A Bomb Florida is a festival featuring poetry bouts, workshops, exhibits, and ultimately the crowning of Florida’s top youth poetry team. The most critical component, however, is the year-round, meaningful instruction inside the classroom and after-school clubs, with teachers and teaching artists who create and facilitate a safe space for individual and collective expression.

For more information, or to purchase tickets for Louder Than A Bomb Florida events, visit www.bluapplepoetry.org or call (954) 424-0799.

About the Jason Taylor Foundation

In July 2004, Miami Dolphins legendary Defensive End and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Jason Taylor, established the Jason Taylor Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organization. The Foundation’s mission is to support and create programs that facilitate the personal growth and empowerment of South Florida’s children in need by focusing on improved health care, education and quality of life.