DPS Elementary Poetry: Our Hearts Are Woven Into Words

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

AT LAST!

The fourth and newest DPS elementary poetry anthology is now complete. It is titled Dreams and Directions and will be available soon. The book features poetry from three hundred DPS students, Kindergarten through fifth grade. Copies will be offered for sale on December 14th, and will also be available for free on that date to all contributing poets and their teachers.

LOOK AT OUR CITY
WITH THE EYES OF A CHILD

Read along as the students of DPS describe what they see when they look at our schools and neighborhoods. This unique volume collects the work of almost three hundred poets, from Kindergarten through fifth grade. They will take you on a guided tour filled with rhymes, metaphors, and jokes. Readers young and old are sure to make enjoyable discoveries inside this book!

FIND YOUR WAY
WITH THE HELP OF DENVER'S CHILDREN

This is the fourth annual collection of poetry by the elementary students of Denver Public Schools. Inside this book, readers will find poems from more than three hundred students, Kindergarteners to fifth graders. Their poems come from over fifty schools as well as every neighborhood in our city. The result is a district-wide collaboration, unlike anything else offered in public education.

This book celebrates the wonderful diversity of our city. It also affirms how much our children and our families have in common.

THIS NEW VOLUME

This book is different from previous volumes in several ways.

The front and back covers feature photographs of DPS students on a playground with their writing notebooks. These photos were taken by Jennifer Koskinen of Merritt Design Photo.

The interior artwork was created by art students at the CEC Middle College under the tutelage of Rebecca Havekotte.

In earlier volumes poems were grouped thematically. In this volume, they are grouped geographically, into five large neighborhood chapters.

The book features an introduction by Jonny 5 and Brer Rabbit of The Flobots, the Denver hip-hop group. Jonny 5 and Brer Rabbit met as students at Bradley Elementary some years ago. Their introduction celebrates Denver and DPS, and the life experiences of children.

The book is prefaced by an inspirational and award-winning poem, I Am the Music of Denver, cowritten by Brayan Parga of Eagleton Elementary and Adrianna Caicedo of Cowell Elementary. It ends with a delightful afterword written by Kindergartners from Gust Elementary.

Early on, a theme of schools and neighborhoods was suggested to teachers and students. Many of the poets in this volume took up that challenge, and their poems explore this theme with humor, wisdom, and creativity.

RECEPTION FOR POETS
AND THEIR TEACHERS

A reception will be held at The Tattered Cover Historic Lo-Do Store on Wednesday, December 14th from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. The store is located at 1628 16th Street at Wynkoop in Denver. Hourly parking lots are located near the store and streetside parking is also available.

Students, families and teachers are invited to attend. Published students and their teachers will each receive a free copy of the new anthology. Additional copies will be on sale and could make wonderful holiday gifts.

This reception is a combination publishing party and poetry reading. Students will be invited to read their poems to the audience. Do not miss it!

COMPLETE CONTENTS
OF VOLUME FOUR

Introduction: Growing Up In Denver, Imagining New Worlds by Jonny 5 and Brer Rabbit

Preface: I Am The Music Of Denver by Brayan Parga (Eagleton) and Adrianna Caicedo (Cowell)

Chapter One, Looking Northwest: Fairview, Eagleton, Cowell, Colfax, Valdez, Bryant-Webster, Edison, Columbian, Trevista, Centennial

Chapter Two, Looking Northeast: Polaris, Whittier, Cole, Barrett, Stedman, Park Hill, Hallett, Ashley, Roberts, Westerly Creek, Howell, Maxwell, Amesse, Greenwood, Ford, Marrama, Green Valley, Waller

Chapter Three, Looking East: Bromwell, Palmer, Carson, Montclair, Lowry, McMeen, Place Bridge

Chapter Four, Looking Southeast: Steele, Lincoln, McKinley-Thatcher, Asbury, Cory, University Park, Bradley, Southmoor

Chapter Five, Looking Southwest: Barnum, Valverde, Newlon, Knapp, Godsman, CMS, Force, MSLA, Johnson, KCAA, Doull, Gust, Traylor, Grant Ranch

Afterword: How To Write Poetry by Gust Kindergartners

WHAT ABOUT VOLUME FIVE?

The anthology has previously been organized thematically (volumes one-three) and geographically (volume four). If there is another volume, it will be organized by grade level. Contributors will be asked to write according to the guidelines below.

      Kindergarten: Weather, seasons, plants, flowers, night and day
        1st grade: Pets, animals
      2nd grade: Favorite toys or games, favorite things to play or make or do
        3rd grade: Interesting places near and far (personal, cultural or historical)
        4th grade: Important people and events (personal, cultural or historical)
        5th grade: Choose your own topic, subject or theme

These themes are only suggestions, of course, and should not limit creative students who want to take their writing in other directions.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information, please contact Steve Replogle at steve_replogle@dpsk12.org
The Tattered Cover Historic LoDo Store is at 303-436-1070