Saturday, April 5, 2025
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | Grand View University
Morning Poetry Workshop Session (Pick One)
Youth Workshops
Engaging youth in poetry is a critical piece of our mission. We are thrilled to collaborate with many community partners to arrange the youth workshops below.
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For more information on youth workshops, please contact poetryamp@gmail.com.
Note: These youth workshops are not open to the public.
2025 Poetry Palooza Youth Workshops
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Choice Charter School - Virtual Classroom
Led by Kelsey Bigelow
Participants: Students grades 7-12
Poetry as a Coping Tool
Life tends to throw heavy stuff our way, and it's our job to manage our mental health through it all. This workshop walks you through methods for writing poetry as a coping tool. From free writing and responding to prompts to observing your situation and trying a poetic form, poetry can help you process and manage your emotions through the heaviness.
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
2:35 - 3:35 p.m.
Indian Hills Middle School
Led by SAY Poetry DSM
Participants: Al Exito Middle School Students
SAY (Serving All Youth) is partnering with Poetry Palooza and Al Exito to bring a writing workshop to the students of Indian Hills Junior High School! Our workshop will focus on empowering students to use their voice to tell their own stories through the art of spoken word poetry!
Thursday, April 3, 2025
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Humboldt Middle School
Led by Vince Gotera
Participants: Humboldt Middle School 7th-8th grade students
Students will write and discuss poems about food: vivid descriptions of food, favorite and least favorite foods, food for thought, food for the soul.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
DMACC
Led by Ross Gay
Participants: DMACC students
Rapid Writing Exercises!
Join poet & essayist Ross Gay as he leads us in a series of writing exercises. Ross will lead us through as many as possible in the time that we have. Bring your favorite writing instrument & come wonder with us.
Friday, April 4, 2025
8:45 - 10:30 a.m.
Bondurant-Farrar Junior High School
Led by Jane Wong
Participants: Junior High School Students
Writing Deliciously: The Poetry of Food
How can we open up our food memories through sensory details and playful language? In our workshop, we will explore food memories and write deliciously together!
Friday, April 4, 2025
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
CDG Elementary School
Led by Vince Gotera
Participants: CDG Elementary School 2nd-4th grade students
Students will help to draw cartoon faces on the board, then write poems to craft a personality and story behind the cartoon faces.
Friday, April 4, 2025
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Jester Nature Park
Led by Ross Gay
Participants: Central Academy/DMPS and Valley High School
Rapid Writing Exercises!
Join poet & essayist Ross Gay as he leads us in a series of writing exercises. Ross will lead us through as many as possible in the time that we have. Bring your favorite writing instrument & come wonder with us.
Let us know your plans
Do you know which workshops you are interested in attending? Complete the RSVP form (or update your existing RSVP) with your selected workshops. We are looking forward to having you at Poetry Palooza!