Mundelein High School Poetry Slam Team advisor Doug Lillydahl (right) coaches Zoey Granitz about her poem during a practice before an upcoming slam competition. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Mundelein High School Poetry Slam Team advisor Doug Lillydahl noticed that spoken word poetry was popular in the school's creative writing classes and formed the team last year. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Mundelein High School Students (from left) Monica Rosas, Jasmine Ader and Lexus Valentine practice to compete at Louder than a Bomb poetry slam festival, which starts this week. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Poetry Slam Team advisor Doug Lillydah encourages his students to be fearless. Before their first competition this winter, many weren't sure they could do it. All performed in the end. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Liam Mellon (left) is one of nearly a dozen student on the Mundelein High School Poetry Slam Team. Team members will compete at the Louder than a Bomb festival that starts this month. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Monica Rosas holds her three-person team's poem at Mundelein High School's Poetry Slam Team practice. Rosas and her teammates will perform at the Louder Than a Bomb festival. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Mundelein High School Poetry Slam team advisor Doug Lillydahl (left) listens closely to team member Zoey Granitz (right) as she reads her poem. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media