Holding a poetry contest to educate youth about watershed ecology
Abstract
Each year, in affiliation with the Library of Congress Center for the Book, River of Words conducts a free international poetry and art contest for youth on the theme of watersheds. Children in kindergarten through twelfth grade are invited to explore their own local watershed, and its importance in their lives, by writing a poem or producing a work of art on this theme. A book of the contest's winning entries, River of Words: The Natural World as Viewed by Young People, is published annually, and the winners are announced at a national event held in Washington, D.C. This effective practice excerpts materials from, "A Personal History of River of Words," by Pamela Michael, one of the originators of the River of Words poetry contest.Issue
Educating young people about watershed ecology in a fun and interesting way.Action
Poet laureate Robert Hass, (1995-1997) was committed to the idea of environmental education as well as seeking to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of reading and writing of poetry. In 1995, the Academy of American Poets first announced that they were declaring April National Poetry Month. Since Earth Day also falls in April, this seemed like a perfect convergence of environmental and arts education. Through Hass' collaboration with the International Rivers Network, the River of Words poetry and art contest was created and continues to be held each year. In 2001, River of Words became an independent nonprofit educational organization, separate from International Rivers Network, with Robert Hass serving as president of the Board of Directors.- Watershed was chosen as the annual theme for the River of Words poetry contest because it provides an adaptable framework for investigating the natural world and the cultural history of local communities.
- In the 2001 River of Words contest, videotaped entries in American Sign Language (ASL) were accepted for the first time. Collaboration with a local ASL poet and instructor, and the Berkeley-based non-profit D.E.A.F. media organization, allowed entrees to be judged appropriately.
- The contest is open to youth that are age 5-19 on the February 15 deadline date.
- Youth may enter the contest as many times as they like, but a separate entry form must be completed for each submission.
- All poems must be original work and should not exceed 32 lines in length (written) or 3 minutes (signed). Poems are accepted in English, Spanish and American Sign Language.
- All artwork must be original work and should not exceed 11' by 17' in size.
- All U.S. entries must be postmarked by February 15, and must be received by February 22. International entries must be received by March 1. Entries received after the deadline are automatically entered in the contest for the following year.
- Winners are announced in April of each year.
- Materials should be sent to River of Words, P.O. Box 4000-J, Berkeley CA, 94704, USA.
- Visit the River of Words website for more information on contest rules and guidelines.
- Many states conduct their own River of Word's contests in conjunction with the larger contest each year, honoring state winners by awarding prizes locally.
- ROWing Partners: 101 Ways to Build Community Partnerships, is a 20 page booklet written by River of Words that offers ideas and concrete steps to help create local support and enthusiasm for River of Words, as well as suggestions and inspiration for building community partnerships in general.
Context
- With the help of poets, scientists, educators, artists, and conservationists, a curriculum guide was created during the first year of the River of Words contest (1996) and distributed free to teachers across the country with sections on teaching about watersheds, poetry and art.
- Teachers were encouraged to partner with other teachers (for example, an English teacher with a science teacher) and to collaborate with those in the community who might serve as learning resources: bird-watchers, writers, park rangers, water department employees, photographers, and farmers.
- A list of arts and environmental organizations was posted on the International Rivers Network website to connect teachers with local resources.
- A mailing was sent to over 3,000 grassroots watershed-related organizations, encouraging them to contact their local schools and offer to visit local classrooms to talk about their region's natural and cultural history and to take students on field trips.
- State art councils were provided with River of Words materials and encouraged to participate in similar outreach to schools.
- With the help of the American Booksellers Association, bookstore owners were provided with ideas for in-store displays of local poetry and natural history, afternoon children's poetry readings, sidewalk art exhibits, and other events.
- In conjunction with the poetry writing contest, the poet laureate convened an unprecedented gathering at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. (1996) to celebrate nature writers, the natural world, and community values. Over the course of six days, thousands of representatives of grassroots conservation, restoration, and environmental education organizations from around the country shared ideas and strategies with nature writers who were gathered for the event. At this "Watershed: Writers, Nature and Community" event, the first River of Words contest winners were honored.
Outcome
- Children in kindergarten through twelfth grades explore their local watersheds and gain an understanding of its effect in their lives.
- Children write poetry that is published in book form annually.
- Children create art that is reproduced on postcards and posters.
- Children's poetry and art is showcased on the River of Words website and are also developed into a yearly calendar.
- All entrants received a Watershed Explorer Certificate.
- A book of the contest's winning entries, River of Words: The Natural World as Viewed by Young People, is published annually.
- At the "Watershed: Writers, Nature and Community" event, held each year in Washington, D.C., River of Words contest winners are honored. The event draws an enthusiastic audience of Washington teachers, residents and public officials.
- International Rivers Network conducts teacher-training workshops nationally and has 17 River of Words state coordinators often housed at state departments of natural resources, or libraries.
- Community partnerships are built as teachers strive to include a variety of resources to teach children about watershed ecology.
- River of Words has been creatively implemented in many parts of the country:
- One small town in New Mexico celebrated with a local River of Words parade down Main Street, complete with streetlight banners of watershed artwork made by local children. Every shop in town had a small basket at the checkout where patrons of all ages could take a poem or leave a poem. The community also sponsored a riverbank clean up and poetry reading, which has become an annual event.
- In Michigan, a bookstore owner sponsored a River of Words evening at her store for teachers. She invited representatives of all the local groups and agencies she could think of that might have programs or materials of use to children and had them meet with teachers to discuss how they could utilize their resources.
- In California, an elementary school teacher added a multigenerational aspect to River of Words by having her class visit a senior citizen's home situated alongside a creek. The students conducted oral history interviews of the elders, many of whom were lifelong residents of the area. After exploring the creek with those who were mobile, the children returned to their classroom to write poems and paint. When the seniors received copies of the children's work, they were so inspired that they invited the class to return with their families and teacher the following month. During this visit the seniors threw a party for the students and read poems they had written in response to the children's work — many about the creek and their own childhood memories about the place.
- Activists at River of Words have the opportunity to read thousands of poetry entries that are inspirational in reminding them of the virtues of volunteerism.
Evidence
The River of Words contest is now (2002) in its sixth year and has been the catalyst for similar events at the state and local levels.Posted On
August 6, 2002Related Practices
Related sites
The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress