High Schools

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DAY
September 25, 2008

Students enter the Festival Site on Thursday, High School Student Day, at the 2006 Dodge Poetry Festival.

Each Dodge Poetry Festival begins on Thursday morning with the inspiring sight of thousands of high school students pouring into Waterloo Village for HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DAY. We registered over 5,000 high school students, representing nearly 300 high schools from Florida to Wisconsin to Rhode Island for the 2006 Festival. We expect to register at least that number in 2008.

On HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DAY pre-registered high school students and pre-registered teachers from all grade levels are admitted at nocharge to all events (briefly described below). Contact us if you would like information on bringing a high school student group to HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DAY.Poet Ekiwah Adler-Belendez talks to students after his Poets on Poetry session.

Dozens of POETS ON POETRY sessions give students and teachers many chances to hear distinguished poets read and discuss some of the poems (by others and by themselves) that have been most important to them. Time will be set aside to respond to questions.

Several afternoon CONVERSATIONS bring together two to four Festival Poets to discuss some of the enduring questions evoked by poetry. These Conversations have included such topics as “On the Life of the Poet,” “Going Public with Private Feelings,” and “Poetry and Truth, Poetry and Beauty,” among others.

POETS FOR TEACHERS sessions, reserved for teachers, provide opportunities to discuss with a Festival Poet ways to bring poetry to life inside and outside the classroom.

STORYTELLING, poetry’s closest relative, is available throughout the day.Winners of the 2005 and 2006 New Jersey High School Poetry Contest who read at the 2006 Festival.

GIVING VOICE: At each Festival we have remembered, with our voices, a group of poets no longer with us. All are welcome to stop by and share in giving them voice.

2007 & 2008 NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL POETRY CONTEST WINNERS will give a group reading in the early afternoon.

OPEN READING opportunities for students will be available in the afternoon.

Pre-registered students and their teachers are welcome to stay for the EVENING MAIN STAGE PROGRAM of readings and music at no charge.

Festival Poets Currently Signed Up for High School Student Day

(Return in the months ahead for updates and additions.)

Chris Abani Joy Harjo Robin Robertson
Simon Armitage Robert Hass Steve Sanfield
Coral Bracho Brenda Hillman Roger Sedarat
Lucille Clifton Edward Hirsch Brenda Shaughnessy
Peter Cole Jane Hirshfield Evie Shockley
Mark Doty Ted Kooser Charles Simic
Thomas Sayers Ellis Maxine Kumin Patricia Smith
Martín Espada Joseph O. Legaspi Tracy K. Smith
Beth Ann Fennelly Naomi Shihab Nye Luke Warm Water
Sarah Gambito Sharon Olds C. D. Wright
Forrest Gander Linda Pastan Franz Wright
Aracelis Girmay Patrick Phillips Kevin Young

Please note: Taha Muhammad Ali who had been announced to read at the Festival will be unable to participate this year. We look forward to his return in the future.

EVENING MAIN STAGE PROGRAM

Thursday, September 25
30 minute readings by:
C.D. Wright
Martín Espada
Jane Hirshfield
Mark Doty
Joy Harjo

(Program subject to revision. Return for updates and additions as the program for all four days of the Festival is posted in the months ahead.)