Recent Blog Postings
Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Imagine a group of gifted poets sitting on a stage. One by one, they walk to the microphone to recite poems about race, immigration, love of family—each poem more powerful, searing, heartbreaking, or poignant than the next. Now imagine these poets are just 11-, 12-, and 13-years old.
When our middle-schoolers joined professional poets for original readings earlier this month as part of Harlem Academy’s Visiting Poets Program, everyone in attendance knew they were witnessing something special....
Posted on Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Harlem Academy students’ poems were among 12 selected by celebrated author Jacqueline Woodson for display at the New York Botanical Garden’s Chihuly sculpture exhibit. Chosen from a pool of more than 150 Tri-State area submissions, the poems were evaluated using no identifying information, so each had to stand on merit alone. Winning poems came from independent schools, charter schools, and traditional public schools, but HA was the only school with multiple winners.
The New York...
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Posted on Friday, September 15, 2017
Seventh grader Adonis Beckford was one of four Harlem Academy students selected among just twelve poems included in the Chihuly exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden.Standing among the Dale Chihuly glass sculptures at the New York Botanical Garden, Harlem Academy seventh grader Adonis Beckford approaches the podium and recites his poem, “Sapphire Star.” He and three other Harlem Academy students had been selected as winners of a poetry competition pairing young voices with the artist’s glass...
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Posted on Thursday, April 2, 2015
Teacher Whitney Wood developed the poetry program in partnershipwith the Poetry Society. Above, Ms. Wood (r) and Charif Shanahan (c) of PSA observe as poet Ama Codjoe (l) works with grade-eight students.
This special evening is the culmination of a trimester-long collaboration between Harlem Academy and the Poetry Society of America. The innovative workshop model brings professional poets to Harlem Academy’s middle school classrooms to lead college-style seminars. Over the course of six weeks...