SHS jump starts the poetry club

SHS+jump+starts+the+poetry+club

Dioneth Salas, Reporter

About four years ago, the poetry club at SHS was unheard of, according to English teacher Mr. Timothy Jamriska, who had decided to help with the poetry club as a new teacher. When the person who was incharge of the poetry club left and didn’t say anything more about the club, he thought that it just wasn’t going to “take off”. Now, Jamriska believes there are more students who would be interested in learning about poetry and reading their poetry out loud to express themselves because that’s part of what the club is  going to be about.

“I know a lot of my freshmen students would be interested, a few of my writers and then a few upperclassmen as well, because students have come to me and just say “hey, can you help me with my writing?” so after school I try to help them,” Jamriska said.

He believes that students will like poetry club if they join because he has students ask him for help after school so if there is a club that has official times when he will be at school after classes, he is sure that students will come.

Poetry by definition is literature in which special intensity is given to the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm. Poetry club is already on the list of clubs here at SHS but not advertised and starting the club back up is something that Jamriska hopes to accomplish.

“ I think a lot of what I will introduce will be dependent on the kids, like what the kids would want to get out of it. If it’s just a place they want to come and hang out and talk about their own poetry then that’s what we’ll do,” Jamriska said. “ But if they want to learn a little bit about poetry, like it’s more about “well we want to learn different styles, different authors and different writing techniques of poetry” then I’d introduce them to various poetic forms and some writers. So I’m sure it’ll be a mingling of being student driven and technique driven.”

Poetry club would meet on Tuesdays or Thursdays, or both days is possible from 2:30pm to 3pm. It won’t be so long that it will interfere with sports and other obligations after school but long enough that students get going and writing.

“I love writing and I love reading stuff so the more I get to talk about it and help kids understand it and learn about it, is good for the kids and it’s cool for me too,” Jamriska said.