Summary
Through a partnership between the Rural School and Community Trust and the National Writing Project, rural students nationwide wrote and submitted original poems that convey their sense of place.
Patricia Graham reads some of her poetry to the students. |
The same process yielded eight students to read their poems at an event at the Library of Congress on May 8.
Objectives
1. To encourage rural public school students to write poetry about the people and places of rural America they know best.
2. To encourage rural schools to adopt "sense of place" curricula.
3. To raise the profile of rural schools and communities among educators, poets, readers of poetry, and within the Congress.
Rural Poetry of Place Congressional Reading
On May 8, 2006, chosen student authors traveled to Washington, DC to read their poems at the Library of Congress.
The event included a welcome and introduction by Rachel Tompkins, Rural Trust President and Elyse Eidman-Aadahl, National Writing Project Director of National Programs and Site Development, remarks from poet Patricia Graham, and reading of poetry of place by the students. Read the student's poems and see photos from the event.
Online Publication of the Rural Poetry of Place written by Students
Other original student poetry from participating National Writing Project Rural Sites Network (sites in Arkansas, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and West Virginia) about their rural places will appear online beginning in September 2006 at www.ruralpoetry.org.
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