The Starbucks Foundation in Seattle has awarded Windward Community College a $10,000 literacy grant for its Star Poets program, which encourages creative writing through poetry. Isle poetry gets
$10,000 grant
from StarbucksStar-Bulletin staff
The grant will fund a series of poetry workshops led by teacher-writer Susan Lee St. John at public schools and other community sites on Oahu.
The first free community workshop, "Language as Clothing," will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at The Contemporary Museum in conjunction with a Lesley Dill art exhibit. Writers ages 6 and up are invited to write poems inspired by Dill's work, which explores a love of language. Call 526-1322 to register.
Participating schools include Pauoa, Kapunahala, Kaiulani, Makaha, Linapuni, Sunset Beach, Hokulani and Salt Lake elementary schools; Waianae, Dole and King intermediate schools; Kahuku Intermediate and High School; and Kaimuki High School.
Starbucks has worked closely with the college since 1999 to sponsor the Star Poets contest for third- through 12th-graders. The contest has grown to more than 1,400 entries in 2002 from 300 entries the first year.
Entries are being accepted from students in these grades for the 2003 contest. Application forms are at all Starbucks stores on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island, and have been mailed to schools. Students may enter as many poems as they wish on any topic, no longer than 20 lines.
Contest details and 2002 winning poems are available on the Web site, www.wcc.hawaii.edu. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 15. Mail entries to Starbucks Star Poets Contest, 210 Ward Ave., Suite 100, Honolulu HI 96814.
For information call Libby Young at 235-7396 or Jill Wheatman at 396-7571.