Senior Poets Lead Poetry Workshop with Bishop Walker Third Graders

On Friday, May 28, six Gonzaga seniors led a final poetry workshop with third grade students from the Bishop Walker School, a tuition-free school for boys in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C. While the workshop was conducted via Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions, “it was still inspiring and powerful because poetry has its own power and pulse,” said Joseph Ross, English Teacher and Moderator of the Gonzaga Poets and Writers Club.

 

The poets used Frederick Douglass' speech "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" as their theme for the workshop and contemplated the idea that words about justice must lead to action for justice. The Gonzaga seniors read poems and then helped the third graders write their own poems. At the end of the workshop, there was a poetry slam where nearly everyone read their work. 

 

Mr. Michael Molina, Head of School at Bishop Walker School and our 2019 Black History Month Assembly speaker also joined us and wrote a poem. Mr. Devon Leary, Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, participated in the workshop, as did Mr. Weatherington, Bishop Walker School third grade teacher. 

 

The six Gonzaga students who participated were Justin Williams ‘21, Adam Uppuluri ‘21, Quinn Fish ‘21, Judah Whiddon ‘21, Drew Duff ‘21, and Kevin Donalson ‘21. 

 

Thank you to all of the students who participated in this special day!