Visiting Poets Program

This long-standing partnership between Harlem Academy and the Poetry Society of America brings professional poets of color into sixth and eighth grade classrooms to explore the craft of poetry and guide students through the writing and revision process. As a culmination of the partnership, students take the stage to recite their original pieces before an audience of family and friends.

As they draft and hone their poems, students experiment with words to convey voice, imagery, and meaning. Their resulting work not only demonstrated their critical thinking, writing, and performance skills, but also their diverse experiences and perspectives.

Harlem Academy’s approach to poetry gives students agency to express their views about issues that matter to them. Middle schoolers tackle a variety of weighty topics, including race, identity, mental health, and acceptance.

Harlem Academy students have long been recognized for their poetry, including on “Amanda Gorman: Brave Enough - A Special Edition of 20/20” and at the New York Botanical Garden’s Chihuly sculpture exhibit.