TEEN Summer: Making Poetry From Everyday Experiences (REMOTE)

***This class will be hosted remotely! You'll receive an email from your instructor about 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin with a Zoom link. There is no need to download or sign up for Zoom in advance!***

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Class Description:

Sometimes finding the perfect words to create the perfect poem can feel like a treasure hunt through the mind. But what if the “perfect poem” already exists in a song, or a magazine, or the caption of a photograph? What if all you had to do to find it, was look through a different kind of lens? In this week-long workshop, we will discover that poetry is everywhere. Using pre-existing works, we will explore erasures, centos, blockout poems and other forms of Found Poetry. Through love letters, street signs, graffiti, anime scenes and more, we will give ourselves permission to reimagine language and create poems that embody our own essence and spark. We will embark on a wild treasure hunt to finally find the poems we’ve always been searching for. For writers age 13 - 18 ONLY.

Takeaway:

By the end of the week, students will have drafted at least three different found poems. Students will also leave this class with an understanding of different Found Poetry forms and a toolbox full of various poetic techniques. This is a workshop that thrives on creativity, and is open to writers of all levels and genre experience. Be ready to try out news approaches and think outside the box!

Our NEW Class Format--Sustainability and Community:

Based on student suggestions and to offer writers a sustainable learning experience, this YAWP weeklong provides a balance of craft sessions and exercises with plenty of optional components so that teens can take screen breaks as needed. To offer young writers a chance to interact with a larger group of their peers and to expose them to a variety of genres, this YAWP weeklong will join with another class for cross-course gatherings. 

Each morning session will feature a craft talk or group exercise with your designated instructor.

On Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons, students of Crystal Valentine's Making Poetry From Everyday Experiences will join students of Otto Vock's Week of Creative Writing [A] to share their work, learn from each other’s craft, or create something new altogether!

On Monday and Wednesday afternoons, you’ll have optional and lowkey meetings that could consist of:

• Q&A chat with your writing instructor
• Group writing with music
• Reading party
• Movie viewing followed by a chat about craft
• Writing games
• Open mic/sharing

Students are encouraged to self-advocate, opting out if they are fatigued or diving in if they want more creative activity. Either way, instructors will always be available to answer questions via email and/or Zoom chat!

Registration Instructions:

• If the student is under 18, parents/guardians must complete this permission form online. You only need to fill this form out ONE TIME, NOT for every class. If you cannot remember whether you have already filled it out, please email [email protected] and we will check for you! If you do not complete this form, your registrations could be voided and the cancellation policy will apply.
• If the student is 18, simply let us know by emailing [email protected].
• If you are registering on behalf of a student, add their email in the “For a Friend or Child?” field on the right-hand side of the screen at check out. This will send them a direct link and reminder to create their own profile with GrubStreet.

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***If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at [email protected]. We’re looking forward to writing with you this summer!***