UTSA StorySLAM!

The San Antonio Storytellers have generously supported the annual StorySLAM! at UTSA since it's inception in 2012.

The San Antonio Storytellers have given valuable time and resources to a grateful and growing community of student storytellers. Donate to the San Antonio Storytellers and indicate you would like to support this annual event!

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2019 UTSA StorySLAM!

The UTSA Department of Communication, the Storytellers at UTSA, and the San Antonio Storytellers hosted the annual “UTSA StorySLAM!” competition on Tuesday March 26, 2019.

Special thanks to San Antonio Storytellers Sue Kuentz and Karen Archer for serving as judges.

Special thanks to “UTSA StorySLAM!” and UTSA Communication Week committees for investing talent and time in this endeavor.

Special thanks to JD Moreno for serving as a videographer.

Special thanks to UTSA department of communication faculty members Richard West, Red Madden, and Ryan McPherson for supporting this event as judges, videographers, encouraging students to attend, and helping to support the event in other ways.

Special thanks to UTSA department of communication staff Alicia Mahoney, Allyn Rede, and Mary Tutor for award creation services.

Special thanks to UTSA Department of Communication faculty and staff Sierra Cavitt, Dr. Karen Daas, Dale Davis, Ashley Denney, Jared “Max” Edman, Jessica Garcia, Dr. Christopher Hajek, Dr. Kenneth Harris, Dr. Luis Hestres, Lori Hidalgo, Christian Johnson, Dr. Seok Kang, Dr. Ali Kanso, Alexis Kerg, Dr. Shamashad Khad, Dr. Kimberly Kline, Dr. H. Paul LeBlanc III, Dr. Steven Levitt, Red Madden, Dr. Charles Mahood, Dr. Jamie McDonald, Ryan McPherson, Laura Oliver, Dr. Stacey Passalacqua, Dr. Dinah Richard, LesLeigh Conway Ring, A. Mario Rios Jr., Ross Roach, Dr. Mariam Sobre, Richard West, Charles Wright, and Dr. Juyan Zhang for supporting this event by encouraging student attendance and participation.

Special thanks to San Antonio Storytellers Board members Sue Kuentz, Karen Archer, Veronica Gard, Mary Grace Ketner, Jane McDaniel, Pat Schieffer, March Babino, Carolina Quiroga Stultz, and Brooke Pillifant.

Thanks to the generous financial support of the San Antonio Storytellers, the UTSA StorySLAM! committee was able to award talented students with cash scholarships.

Since 2013, the San Antonio Storytellers have donated over $1575 dollars to UTSA StorySLAM!

Congratulations to Our Honored Students:

First Place:              Maddie Starks

Second Place:         Leonardo Garcia

Third Place:             Joseph Camacho

Audience Favorite Award Winner: Brooke Edwards

Brave Story Award Winner: Candace Borden

Gratitude Story Award Winner: Colton Krejci

Reflection Award Winner: Roberto Martinez

2019 Honored Storytellers: 

UTSA StorySLAM! Honoree Maddie Starks:

UTSA StorySLAM! Honoree Leonardo Garcia

UTSA StorySLAM! Honoree Joseph Camacho:

UTSA StorySLAM! Honoree Brooke Edwards

2018 UTSA StorySLAM!

The UTSA Department of Communication, the Storytellers at UTSA, and the San Antonio Storytellers  hosted the sannual UTSA StorySLAM! Competition on Tuesday March 27, 2018.

Special thanks to UTSA faculty department of communication faculty members Richard West, Dinah Richard, Ryan McPherson, and Ken Harris for supporting this event as judges, videographers, encouraging students to attend, and helping to support the event in other ways.

Special thanks to San Antonio Storytellers Veronica Gard and Sue Kuentz for serving as judges and helping to support the event in other ways.. 

Thanks to the generous financial support of the San Antonio Storytellers, the UTSA Department of Communication was able to award talented students with cash scholarships.

Since 2013, the San Antonio Storytellers have donated over $1375 dollars to UTSA storySLAM!

Congratulations To Our Winning Students:

First Place:              Shayla Hudson 

Second Place:         Ellen Spies

Third Place:             Andrew Adames 

Audience Choice Awards:

Shayla Hudson

Michael Barbosa

Brian Carmack

Ellen Spies

2018 Honored Storytellers: 

2017 UTSA StorySLAM!

The UTSA Department of Communication, the Storytellers at UTSA, and the San Antonio Storytellers  hosted the annual UTSA StorySLAM! Competition on Wednesday February 22, 2017.

Special thanks to UTSA faculty department of communication faculty members Richard West, Dinah Richard, Ryan McPherson, and Ken Harris for supporting this event as judges, videographers, encouraging students to attend, and helping to support the event in other ways.

Special thanks to San Antonio Storytellers Veronica Gard and Sue Kuentz for serving as judges and helping to support the event in other ways.

Thanks to the generous financial support of the San Antonio Storytellers, the UTSA Department of Communication was able to award talented students with cash scholarships.

Since 2013, the San Antonio Storytellers have donated over $925 dollars to UTSA StorySLAM!

Congratulations To Our Winning Students:

First Place: Antonio Julani

Second Place: Assadullah Amini

Third Place: Raven Thomas-Talley

Audience Choice Award Winners:

Raven Thomas Talley

Catherine Carlisle

Onomi Aganbi

2016 UTSA StorySLAM!

The UTSA Department of Communication, the Storytellers at UTSA, and the San Antonio Storytellers hosted the annual StorySLAM! on March 30, 2016 as a part of the UTSA Department of Communication’s annual Communication Week.

Special thanks to UTSA faculty department of communication faculty members Dinah Richard, Sallyanne Holtz, Ryan McPherson, and Richard West for supporting this event as judges, videographers, encouraging students to attend, and helping to support the event in other ways.

Special thanks to San Antonio Storytellers Veronica Gard and Sue Kuentz for serving as judges and helping to support the event in other ways.

Thanks to the amazing work of the StorySLAM! committee from the UTSA Department of Communication, spring 2016 was the best showing and most competitive event in our UTSA StorySLAM! history. 

Thanks to the generous financial support of the San Antonio Storytellers, the UTSA Department of Communication was able to award talented students with cash scholarships.

Since 2013, the San Antonio Storytellers have donated over $700 dollars to UTSA storySLAM!

Our Spring 2016 StorySLAM! winners were:

First Place: Ethel Magana Lopez

Second Place: Samantha Watson

Third Place: Sarah Gorton

Bridging Cultures Award: Blair Qiujie Pan

Honored Storyteller Award: Natalia Delgado

Honored Storyteller Award: Erica Hinton

 2015 UTSA StorySLAM!

The UTSA Department of Communication, the Storytellers at UTSA, and the San Antonio Storytellers hosted the third annual storySLAM! on April 8, 2015 as a part of the UTSA Department of Communication’s annual Communication Week.

Special thanks to UTSA faculty department of communication faculty members Sallyanne Holtz, Soek Kang, Shamshad Khan, Red Madden, Ryan McPherson, Laura Oliver, Dinah Richard, Art Settles, and Richard West for supporting this event as judges, videographers, encouraging students to attend, and helping to support the event in other ways.

Special thanks to San Antonio Storytellers Veronica Gard, Sue Kuentz, Pat Schieffer, and Carolina Quiroga-Stultz for serving as judges and helping to support the event in other ways.

Thanks to the amazing work of the StorySLAM! committee from the UTSA Department of Communication, this was the best showing and most competitive event in our UTSA StorySLAM! history. 

Thanks to the generous financial support of the San Antonio Storytellers, the UTSA Department of Communication was able to award talented students with cash scholarships.

2015 Honored Storytellers:

UTSA StorySLAM! Judges Ballot

Judges will add value for great storytelling strategy or technique not addressed on this form.

____ Story Choice (5)

~ Colorful and unique delivery

~ Unusual or creative adaptation suitable to the teller and category choice

~ Memorable and appropriate choice for audience present

____ Story Launch (5)

~ Strong positive energy demonstrated in voice and nonverbal body language

~ Confidence, dynamism, and poise demonstrated in voice and nonverbal body language

~ Begins with appropriate pace and content to capture audience’s attention

~ Paints the story’s picture using descriptive, concrete, and vivid language

____ Voice (10)

~ Vocal rate (Pause, Pitch, Pace) appropriate to the content of the story

~ Words flow easily and naturally, speaks clearly and free of vocal disfluencies

~ Teller’s voice fills the space

~ Special vocal effects enhance the story, but teller is not “acting out” a drama

~ Story sounds natural rather than memorized or recited

~ No repeated verbal clutter or vocal disfluencies (um, like, etc.)

____ Body (10)

~ Eye contact with audience natural and even, we trust the storyteller

~ Facial expression helps to “tell” and bring the story to life

~ Gestures enhance the telling of the story (We can “see” what the teller sees)

~ Body movement appropriate to the meaning of the story (We can “feel” what the teller sees)   

~ Posture and poise appropriate to the meaning of the story (We can feel, see, and hear the story)

____ Words (10)

~ Grammar and language appropriate to the story and audience

~ Visual wording appropriate for all portions of the story-(We can “see” what the teller sees)

~ Teller’s dialect or speech patterns blend with the story (Pause, Pitch, Pace)

~ Balance of appropriate dialect if needed and clear articulation

~ Descriptive and vivid language in the body of the story

____ Story Closure (5) percent

~ Clear conclusion, story winds down appropriately and clearly... (i.e. tensions are resolved)

~ Vocal intonation, body language, confidence, and poise clues the story’s end

~ Final impression (or flavor) left with the listeners…what will we remember tomorrow?

____ Overall Performance Spirit (5)

~ Captures the audience’s attention

~ Enthusiastic and vibrant (We can “see” what the teller sees)

~ Exhibits dynamism, charm, expressive qualities, and brings the story to life

_____ Overall Score Out of 50

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