PETERSBURG, Va. — Students at the Appomattox Regional Governor's School are giving young poets across Central Virginia something many writers never achieve: a chance to see their work in print.
For the second year in a row, students at the school accepted poems from middle and high school students across Central Virginia and published them in a book. This year, 85 students were published.
Teacher Gail Giewont said part of her mission in the Literacy Arts Program is to show students that poetry is a place where they can find their own voice.
"A lot of them have no idea about poetry or they think they hate it. So part of my mission here in the literacy arts program is to convince kids, to show them, that poetry is a place where they can find their own voice, that is completely unique," Giewont said.
For students who have embraced poetry, the art form offers something they say they can't find anywhere else.
"What's not to like about it? It gives you free verse. It gives you more freedom of expression. Not just with its metaphors and its similes, it also allows you to feel deeper emotion," sophomore Jocelyn Carson said.
Junior Tris Meagher, the current Youth Poet Laureate of Virginia, said poetry allows for a kind of expression that prose and speech simply cannot match.
"I feel that there is something that I need to say and sometimes I feel as if there is something other people need to hear and it's not something I can express in prose or in speech," Meagher said.
Meagher said words are at the heart of everything.
"I think words are the most important thing that anybody has," Meagher said. "Words are what changes peoples minds and their hearts. It's not action."
Meagher said the book and spreading the love of poetry go hand in hand.
"I think the best way to get people to care about poetry is to see other people who care," Meagher said.
Sophomore Raven Van Horn-Hedrick said the book serves a purpose beyond the page.
"It's a good way to spread peoples voices and share them with people and show that middle schoolers and high schoolers do have a Voice and it is good to show that," Van Horn-Hedrick said.
"I'm very proud of it," Van Horn-Hedrick said.
Carson said seeing her work in print made the effort worthwhile.
"It feels, honestly, really good to have my hard work be in Print," Carson said.
Giewont said the project teaches students skills that extend well beyond poetry.
"They're learning how to be a project manager. They're learning how to market. They're learning business," Giewont said.
Ultimately, Giewont said the book is about honoring young voices.
"Just that space to acknowledge the importance of a child's voice. To acknowledge the important of poetry and self-expression and that we then get to share that Voice with anyone who gets a copy of it," Giewont said.
With the second book now in print, plans are already underway for students to produce a third book next school year.
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