I didn't realize it was a state wide competition, I thought it was just going to be a bunch of high school kids reading poems as apart of a class. But it was enjoyable to see kids wanting to partake in the competition on their own, and be passionate about the arts.
I'll be honest though, I didn't really pay much attention to what all the poems meant. But I did pay attention to how the students interacted with each other. Almost always after someone performed, another student in the audience would smile in approval, give a thumbs up or a high five. I thought this was interesting. I can remember when I was in high school that everything was a competition and you'd get jealous or angry if someone did better than you. But these kids were genuinely happy for each other, and showed great support. That was really refreshing to see. Once I noticed this I began to think about my relationships with fellow art students and teachers. I feel that we all show respect and support for one another because we are all in the same position, taking a risk and showing the world who we are through our art. Sometimes it's scary and nerve racking going into a critique, but knowing someone has your back to give you a constructive critique means a lot. So I think it's great these kids are already forming these types of relationships with students in high school.
I didn't mind this event, it was a tad boring since they were reciting someone else's poems. And I was disappointed no one recited a Shel Silverstein poem (just kidding). It would have been great to see them perform a poem they wrote themselves, but I can still appreciate their courage and passion to get up on that stage.
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