After-School Teen Poetry Slam Group Forming at South Side Youth Club

A new poetry slam group is forming this week at the Boys and Girls Club of Easton's South Side location, with the goal of offering teens "a safe and welcoming place where they can go to unleash their creativity and express themselves through spoken word."

The group will be led by club alumni Stephanie Santos.

"Slam! Poetry" will feature poetry writing, short stories, and organizing personal journals. Teens should get ready to write and speak in a welcoming, safe place without fear, prejudice, bullying, or any inhibition, Santos said in the announcement about the new group.

"The program will not only focus on writing, but concentrate on the natural aspect of expressing oneself and being comfortable doing it among teen peers, family, and friends. The program is intended for interested teens who want to share and gain literary knowledge and become familiar with inspirational works by famous authors and poets," she added.

Santos is inviting area teens to join her at an open house, "Be Ready, Be Inspired, and Be GREAT," and "Slam! Poetry!" orientation session at the Boys and Girls Club of Easton's South Side facility tomorrow, on Friday October 4, from 6 to 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served, and pre-registration is encouraged.

The open house is limited to 12 teens, on a first come, first-served basis. Interested teens must attend the orientation on Friday, October 4 and share their work in order to be selected for "Slam Poetry!" future sessions.

After the initial event tomorrow, sessions will be held twice a week, every Wednesday and Friday from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Boys and Girls Club of Easton's library, beginning next Wednesday, October 9.

An adjunct "Creative Minds Art Expression" program will be an extension to the "Slam! Poetry" sessions. The  program will encourage teens to use their imagination via poetry and imagery to express personal interpretations of artwork, photos, pictures and other images, encouraging them to think outside of the box and put their thoughts on paper using paint, chalk, clay, crayons or pencils.

The "Creative Minds Art Expression" program will be held every Wednesday and Friday, following "SLAM! Poetry" from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the library. Orientation will also be on Friday, October 4  in the club's library.

For more information about the programs, contact Stephanie Santos at 610-253-5846 between the hours of 3 and 9 p.m., or email stars@fast.net