At a recent workshop at St. Mary’s College of Maryland renowned poet Lucille Clifton, former Poet Laureate of Maryland, and St. Mary’s Professor of Creative Writing Jeffrey Coleman graciously shared their time with local high school students from Chopticon and Great Mills High Schools.
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| Lucille Clifton talks to students |
During the workshop, which was held in the Boyden Gallery at the College, Clifton explained her creative process to the attending students, and talked about what inspired her to write. She also read from her work, critiqued poetry written by the students, and offered them encouragement with their writing. In the workshop that followed Coleman asked the kids to compose shorts poems and read them to the group.
To facilitate the students’ writing between sessions, The Arts Alliance of St. Mary’s College provided journals for each participant to record their poetry in. A second workshop for the group is scheduled for January 29.
“The poetry workshop was very successful and extremely challenging for the student participants,” said Susan McNeill, Outreach Coordinator and Steering Committee Member of the Arts Alliance.
The Arts Alliance of St. Mary’s College is a nonprofit organization with more than 600 members that supports and promotes cultural and arts-related activities and programs for the enrichment and enjoyment of the Southern Maryland community. Membership is open to the community. For more information about the Arts Alliance, its activities, and membership benefits contact Katie Combs at 240-895-3038 or kacombs@smcm.edu, or visit their website at www.artsallianceofstmarys.org.
Arts Alliance Steering Committee members Peggy Carlton and Susan McNeill contributed to this report.
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| St. Mary’s College Professor of Creative Writing Jeffrey Coleman helps high school students get creative with their poetry. The poetry workshop is one of the many community outreach programs sponsored and facilitated by the Arts Alliance of St. Mary’s College. |
