Sailee is a spoken word poet and a 2026 YoungArts National Winner in Poetry. As a high school student at the Orange County School of the Arts, she studies in the Creative Writing and Visual Arts conservatories. She has a deep interest in socio-cultural divides and educational equality, which she channels through her work as a professional poet with the California Get Lit Spoken Poetry Troupe. Beyond the stage, Sailee serves as the lead prosecutor on her Mock Trial national team and is the founder of the National Civic Leadership of America (NCLA) chapter at OCSA. Through these roles, she demonstrates a strong passion for communication, civic engagement, and empowering youth leadership.
saileecu@gmail.com
Robin is an attorney for the OCSA Mock Trial team, a member of OCSA’s Student Culture Executive Board, and the founder of OCSA Keeping the Culture. Passionate about public advocacy and activism, Robin is dedicated to educating children in underserved communities about the power of their voices and stories, equipping the next generation with the skills and confidence to stand up for what is right.
robin.kim@ocsarts.net
Director of Outreach
Suri is a nationally competitive debater and public speaker, Director of Programming for Debate4All, a national civics advocacy organization, and Board Member of Outreach Committee for the California Association of Student Councils, a student government and leadership organization. With a deep passion for the intersection of ethics, macroeconomics, technology, and engineering, Suri hopes to shape policy in these fields through ethical education and advocacy. He believes that public speaking and artistic expression are powerful gateways for empowering youth voices to influence and transform the future of society.
Director of Social Media and Communication
Scarlett is a junior at OCSA. Poetry, writing, and reading are huge parts of my life, and the opportunity to be a coach and board member of The Lit League means so much to me. I’m honored to be able to share what I know and inspire others!
Coach
Rebecca Yang is a junior at Orange County School of the Arts. She enjoys expressing herself through the power and connectivity of spoken word. As part of her school’s team, she has performed at the Orange County Regional Youth Slam Event as well as GetLit Classic Slam at the LA Theatre Center.
Coach
Audrey Shih is a junior in the Creative Writing Conservatory at Orange County School of the Arts. She has received the National Silver Medal for “Orange Daydream” in the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition, as well as a silver key in poetry and other honorable mentions. In her free time, she loves to read sci-fi, fantasy, and historical fiction.
Elora Sparnicht is a junior at Yale University. She is a former GetLit Spoken poetry slam competitor and two-time Orange County Poetry Out Loud champion.
Jamie Jaehee Jung is a student at Brown University. She is a 2024 YoungArts winner with distinction for spoken word and 2025 Provslam finalist.
Marcus Omari is a poet, writer, and performer whose work lives at the crossroads of arts, advocacy, entrepreneurship, and wholehearted creative wellness. A featured poet on Verses & Flow (TV One), Marcus has authored several poetry chapbooks and lent his voice to numerous multi-genre music collaborations. He currently teaches and is the lead teaching artist with Santa Ana Unified School District’s LitCon Creative Arts program.
Mahati Vaidyanathan is a writer and 2026 Poetry Out Loud county champion. She is experienced at peer reviewing and editing writing through her work with the Youth Advisory Board at Write the World. Beyond writing, she is a trial attorney on Hillsdale High School’s Mock Trial Team, and has earned an Outstanding Attorney Award at an international competition. Most of all, she is passionate about how people’s minds work and how stories shape the world.
Hi, this is Sarah Johnson, I’ve loved poetry since I can remember, and both continue to read, recite, and write poetry now. Poetry genuinely feeds my soul, it’s my outlet, and I wish to spread the joy of poetry in my community and area.
Emily is a high school senior who has worked with translation and spoken word since her freshmen year. Her goal is to bring as big a platform as possible to the deaf community, as for all their work, they are not credited enough. Through her performances, Emily hopes that more and more people become inspired to learn the beautiful language of ASL, and she is excited to help that flourish in partnership with the LitLeague.
I’m a high school student who loves writing and believes poetry is one of the most powerful ways to connect with others. Whether it’s sharing personal experiences or learning about different cultures and perspectives, I think poetry helps people feel seen and heard. I enjoy working with others, being involved in my community, and I’m excited about the chance to inspire more young people to find confidence in their own voices through poetry. Because I believe that even if the words didn’t originate from your mind or your mouth the way that they are spoken can feel just as powerful as what you feel.
I am Angeleek Viola, a student at River Valley High School in Yuba City, California. I am set to graduate this year, and I don’t know where I would be without poetry. Since I was little, I’ve been hearing my mom’s poetry and picking the limited section of poetry in my school’s library clean. I’ve always been fascinated with the meanings of it all. How people read the same thing and somehow end up with totally different understandings. Poetry has allowed me to explore who I am and to better process the situations that happen in life. I have been writing my own poetry since around middle school, and have been doing poetry recitations with POL since my sophomore year. Outside of poetry, I deeply enjoy finding ways to support my community and competing in other speaking competitions. I have established a club at my school to the Blue Zones Project’s philosophy of “Living better, longer”, which I have dedicated to my love of volunteer work. I am grateful to be given an opportunity to give back to my community in another way, hopefully, encouraging more creative and vocal poets of all ages.
Maria is the Founder and CEO of Speak Taco, a language-learning company founded in 2017 with a team of dedicated educators committed to making language learning meaningful, engaging, and culturally connected. She is also a certified Spanish teacher with experience working with bilingual and heritage language learners. Through Speak Taco’s immersive methodology, which incorporates communication, culture, and learning through the senses, Maria and her team help students develop language skills while strengthening confidence, identity, and connection to their roots.
“Thank you for sharing your programs with us. I think they are very thoughtful and align beautifully with the goals of confidence-building, self-expression, and helping students develop their voice in both languages.”
Romina Gauna is a Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE) teacher from Córdoba, Argentina, and holds a diploma in Cultural Management. Since 2012, she has taught Spanish to adults, teenagers, and children in both in-person and online settings. Romina brings a strong passion for language learning and cultural exchange, creating engaging environments that encourage students to connect with language in meaningful ways.
Kamila Alarcón Muñoz is a Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE) teacher and instructional design specialist from Colombia. She has extensive experience developing digital curricula and implementing active language-learning methodologies. Kamila specializes in integrating interactive tools, art, and Latin American culture into language education and has also led community engagement projects and virtual learning initiatives.
Nidia is a Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE) teacher from Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hispanic Literature, a Master’s degree in Education with a focus on educational innovation, and is certified as an ELE tutor by Instituto Cervantes. Since 2017, she has taught Spanish in both online and in-person settings, bringing a thoughtful and innovative approach to language learning.
Olivia le is a talented youth spoken poet. As a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, she has won state and national poetry competitions and was a finalist for the California Youth Poet Laureate. Her work has been published internationally and she is a 2-year Get Lit Player with Get Lit-Words Ignite. She used spoken word to share about her experiences and raise awareness on social issues.
Dharma Lemon is a writer, teaching artist, and activist from Los Angeles County. She is involved with an organization called Get Lit – Words Ignite. Her work focuses on topics like feminism, body positivity, the environment, and racial injustice. She is known for her passionate writing and activism, having performed alongside celebrity activists and participated in various events, including “Artists for Amazonia”.
Marcus Omari is a critically acclaimed poet, writer, performer, and instructor who teaches poetry programs across Orange County. He’s known for his spoken word performances and has authored several chapbooks. He’s a six-time National Speech and Debate Award winner and has been featured on TV shows like VERSES & FLOW on TV One. He’s also the founder of the Poetic Reform Party.
