Wednesday, May 11, 2011

826DC and 826CHI students write poetry at the White House

Staff members from 826 National, 826DC, and 826CHI, as well as two 826CHI students, smile in front of the White House before a poetry workshop hosted by President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama

You've heard of red-letter days? Well, Wednesday was a white-letter day for some talented and lucky 826 students — as in White House! Thirteen 826DC and two 826CHI students attended a poetry workshop and reading at the White House hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. The students were also joined by poets and songwriters Elizabeth Alexander, Billy Collins, Rita Dove, Kenneth Goldsmith, Alison Knowles, and Aimee Mann. 826DC student Teisha Hines introduced Mrs. Obama and read her poem Ten Things I Want to Throw at You.

"Creative and expository writing skills are essential for students to be able to express themselves as well as advance in school and the workforce," said Gerald Richards, CEO of 826 National. "Connecting with Mrs. Obama and professional writers is inspirational and a once-in-lifetime opportunity for our students."

The workshop was the culmination of a four-month long poetry writing program for Washington, DC high school students made possible through a partnership between the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and 826DC. Over the course of the program, the 15 DC high school students worked shoulder-to-shoulder with leading poets from around the District and several top universities. In the coming months, the students’ work will be published in an anthology and sold at 826DC's writing center in Columbia Heights. Proceeds from the sale of the anthology will go to support 826DC's free programs for students aged 6 through 18.

"Through this project we wanted our students to craft poems that would enable them to explore and to harness the power of their own voice," said Joe Callahan, Executive Director of 826DC.