Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Cook Elementary Students Ready for Poetry Slam

 The poetry  slam is Thursday afternoon at Cook Elementary School in Auburn Gresham.
The poetry slam is Thursday afternoon at Cook Elementary School in Auburn Gresham.
View Full Caption
Getty Images

AUBURN GRESHAM — With four workshops under their belts, students at Cook Elementary are ready for Thursday afternoon's poetry slam.

The young poets will present their creations to special education majors from Illinois State University at the school at 8150 S. Bishop St., from 2-4 p.m.

The college students are enrolled in a class that gives them firsthand experience with youths in urban settings. This semester, they're working on two projects supporting both Cook and Simeon Career Academy.

In collaboration with the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation and the Chicago Teacher Education Pipeline at ISU, the students were able to promote mentorship in an afterschool program called Revolution of Young Artists as Leaders, or ROYAL.

The ROYAL program is designed to create a relationship between Simeon's Writers Never Die championship team and Cook Elementary students. Simeon students worked with the younger students, helping them develop leadership skills through spoken word as well as express their dreams, struggles and personal experiences.

Under the supervision of their instructor, the ISU students provided guidance and support.

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: