Five teens from Hawai'i won the top prize at an international poetry slam competition this weekend in Washington, D.C.

The members of Youth Speaks Hawai'i competed against more than 40 teams at the 11th annual Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival, which was held July 15 through 19 in Washington, D.C.

The teens are Will Giles, 19, of Hawai'i Kai; Alaka'i Kotrys, 15, of Kunia; Jocelyn Ng, 18, of Kaimuki; Jamaica Osorio, 18, of Palolo Valley; and Ittai Wong, 16, of Kailua.

"Our team won," said an excited Lyz Soto, executive director of Youth Speaks Hawai'i, who called the Advertiser from Washington, D.C. "We came in first out of 45 teams from across the country, from England and from Trinidad (among other countries)."

During the finals, the Hawai'i teens competed against teams from Chicago; Rochester, N.Y.; New York City; and last year's champs from Philadelphia.

About 450 teens, ages 13 to 19, made up more than 40 teams who participated in the festival, which featured workshops and performances by renowned poets, writers and musicians, and a youth poetry slam competition.

Slam poetry is the competitive segment of spoken word, also known as performance poetry. During a poetry slam competition, poets are given about 3 minutes and 30 seconds to perform their original pieces. They are typically scored 50 percent each on performance and writing.

Youth Speaks Hawai'i is an organization that promotes confidence, self-awareness and community consciousness in youths through spoken word.

Reach Zenaida Serrano at 535-8174 or zserrano@honoluluadvertiser.com.