Let This Dream Inspire Others

"The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but significance, and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning."

Oprah Winfrey

In March of 2020, the governor of Ohio announced schools would be remote; it shocked parents, students, and teachers. Many school districts across the state were unprepared. Teaching school remotely was unfamiliar territory for district leaders, administrators, and teachers. What would be the plan for this new reality? Additionally, schools would be out for the summer in little more than two months. Students could ill afford to lose two months of learning at such a critical time.

I teach small groups of ESL students in grades K through 2nd grade in a large district in Ohio. Teaching school remotely would definitely pose a challenge for me. I had an idea to record stories on video and post them to YouTube and Class Dojo until we implemented a more concrete plan. Upon receiving permission from our school's administrator, I drove somberly to school and collected many books from my vast collection to record on video. At least students would see a familiar face. I hoped this would bring comfort to them.

My stress level during this time was high. I had to learn a lot about technology and other learning platforms. Thankfully, I had an outlet to release the stress that I felt. During the pandemic, I wrote many poems and other articles. They reflected the times we were living. Writing has always been a way for me to express my feelings. As a child, I tended to keep things inside.

In March of 2021, we were back in school on a hybrid model. An opportunity presented itself in the form of a grant from the Teachers' Union. The union offered mini-grants in STEM, Early Education, and a general grant for other projects. A few years ago, I had thought about starting a poetry club. Writing has been a passion since middle school. It was not until high school a formal introduction to creative writing and poetry occurred. Applying for this grant was the perfect opportunity to start a poetry club at the school I worked.

The past two years have been an emotional rollercoaster for each of us. I believe this was equally true for students. I thought about the social and emotional impact of the social isolation they experienced. Many students have also coped with grief, hunger, and sickness. I felt a growing sense of urgency to provide an outlet that would expose students to the beauty of poetry. Starting a poetry club was a no-brainer for me. Besides, I didn't want students to wait until high school to learn about poetry.

After receiving approval from my school administrator, I applied for the mini-grant. At the end of March, much to my surprise, I received a mini-grant of five hundred and seventy dollars to start the poetry club. Students would learn about poetry and have a safe space to write about their struggles if they chose to. I purchased the necessary items needed for implementation with the grant money. I also used my money to buy supplies, and my school administrator furnished the poetry club with a beautiful bench.

Due to COVID- 19 restrictions and limited space, our poetry club began with fifteen students in grades three through five. Our school demographics include students from various cultural backgrounds making our poetry club quite diverse. Students expressed excitement about being part of this new group. They penned themselves "The Magic Writers of Innis Elementary School." We had our first meeting on January 21st of this year. It was an exciting time!

My dream is to expand the poetry club to include more students. I hope the poetry club will foster a love of reading and writing poetry. I want students to feel comfortable being their authentic selves. Hopefully, students can showcase their work in front of peers, family, and community. It would be wonderful to publish students' poems in an anthology of poetry and prose. I am sure it would inspire others to appreciate this genre for years to come. Great opportunities arise once we dare to believe.