To celebrate National Poetry Month, the library is happy to feature the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Spoken Word Club.
The club, formed in 2001 as a spin-off of the Writers Block Creative Writing group, is led by advisor Kathleen Churchill. Kathleen is an experienced writer and poet, often using poetry to convey emotion. She feels that it provides a way to center and process emotions before sharing with others. Kathleen also teaches Personal Growth and AP Poetry at Plymouth High School.
Spoken Word Club members meet to create poetry, share and receive feedback. It is a positive community where members encourage each other as participants. They aren't required to share what they have written, but most students choose to do so in the very supportive environment. The club brings students together through a shared common interest and serves as a welcoming safe space where students can share life experiences through self-expression without judgement.
During club meetings, they typically use a prompt to write something on the spot and then share with one other. Students also play games like Poetry for Neanderthals, a fun activity that can also help inspire creativity and build writing skills.
Makayla Quimby, P-CEP junior and first year member of the Spoken Word Club, says she enjoys the group because it allows her to set aside time and devote it to creating content. "The club is a space to put ideas on paper and receive specific feedback and encouragement,” she shares. Makayla says that she takes inspiration from current events as well as her own emotions. Writing provides a more comfortable way to share these things, she explains, and it is easier to get it all out on paper first and then share it with a safe community.
Emiyah Jones, P-CEP senior and member of the Spoken Word Club since 2020, says that the club provides much needed color within the academic rigor of her day-to-day scholastic pursuits. Emiyah won first place in the 2022 Plymouth-Canton Civitan Club Essay Contest. She will be attending Alma College in the fall of 2023 and majoring in biology.
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