• Educators
• Students - Split 'P' Soup
• Summer Camp
• SCYP

A central part of the mandate of the Poetry Initiative is to reach school-aged children with the passion and appreciation of poetry.

By combining research, training, extensive workshops and events with young people, residencies in schools, participation in writing programs in schools and community organizations, running writing camps, sponsoring and judging contests, serving as consultants for school media centers and teachers, and by conducting in-service workshops with teachers and administrators, the Poetry Initiative reaches thousands of young people each year with the message that an appreciation of poetry can enhance their education and the quality of their lives.

The work of the Initiative in this arena is spear-headed by the dynamic and experienced Split P Soup.

SPLIT P SOUP

For three years, Split P Soup has taken a passion for poetry and for the discovery of learning through poetry to schools around the state. Split P Soup's experienced staff has based its work on serious scholarship into the pedagogy of teaching writing and lived experience as practicing poets. Teachers, students and administrators alike have come to rely on the professionalism and innovation of the Split P Soup team whose capacity to work with school age youths in schools, in libraries, in community centers, in museums, at camps, at conferences and in some of the most unlikely places has been one of its greatest assets.

As a central part of the work of the Poetry Initiative, Split P Soup brings an appreciation for poetry and an understanding of the educational value of writing to the future art makers and art lovers in South Carolina.

Split P Soup is led by a team of faculty and graduate students at the University of South Carolina. It combines hands on work in schools and other sites with a sophisticated and well-developed training system for its staff that is both academically sound and practical. The senior staff has many years of experience in working with young people.

Split P Soup partners with schools, community organizations, libraries, museums, arts organizations and many other entities to bring poetry to young people.

Split P Soup represents that distinct university initiative that manages to prove that the seemingly rarefied concerns of academic scholarship can have important impact on the life of the larger community.

Split P Soup understands that a multifaceted approach that involves training teachers, partnering with administrators, and working with already existing organizations committed to writing initiatives in school is essential for success in what it does.

For more information about how to bring Split P Soup to young people in your school or community, visit the following sites:

Split 'P' Soup homepage
Split 'P' Soup Calendar
Young Poets Prize

Teachers - Towards a Poetry Friendly School

Kwame Dawes is an advocate for the teaching of poetry in schools from elementary to high school. In recent years he has been giving talks at schools in South Carolina for administrators and teachers about ways in which to make their schools “Poetry Friendly”. He has developed a day-long seminar on finding practical ways to make a school a place that encourages writing and creative thought through the study and writing of poetry.

“Towards a Poetry Friendly School” is a comprehensive, hands-on workshop that offers both theoretical and practical ideas about how to integrate poetry into the wider school curriculum and into everyday teaching practices. This seminar can be tailored to the particular needs of a given school. The length of the workshop is flexible. Dawes conducts follow-up dialogue with teachers and administrators. With handouts, audio visual aids and an interactive teaching style', Dawes’ seminars can be an exciting and inspiring boost to teachers and administrators alike.

This workshop has been conducted at state-wide conferences, in district-level conferences and in school in-service programs.

For more information about bringing the Poetry Friendly School workshop to your school or district contact Dr. Kwame Dawes (dawesk@mailbox.sc.edu)

SCYP

Split P Soup: Poetry for the Community and the South Carolina Poetry Initiative announce the South Carolina Young Poets Prize for the best group of poems written by teens.

Ages 14-19
Contact: Split P Soup splitp@gwm.sc.edu

Winner receives cash and prizes.

2008 SCYP Contest Information
2008 SCYP Contest Results

© 2003.University of South Carolina.