Windham Poetry Group Overcomes Adversity

The Young Poets, an edgy writing and performance group at Windham High School, were the true winners of the Bob Costas Grant for the Teaching of Writing, according to official 2008 recipient, reading teacher Lynn Frazier.

Last year, the group - which is made up of 15 youths (ages 15 to 21) from Willimantic and surrounding towns - published a collection of their work called, "The Streets Have No Secrets." They have also been performing locally, and competing in poetry slams since early 2004.

Willimantic gets "a lot of bad press about failing schools," according to Frazier, who thinks the assessment is incomplete and unfair. "For me there's such a deep sadness that their talents and gifts are measured by one test. There's no one test that can ever measure the strengths and talents of the kids in Windham."

"A lot of kids I work with have huge obstacles in their lives that they overcome on a daily basis," she said. Although Frazier declined to expand, the median household income in Willimantic is more than 45 percent lower than in Conn. as a whole, according to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Frazier often stays after school to mentor the group.

"I'm here, and my doors are open," she said. "But they (the Young Poets) really run the show."

Although Frazier called herself "just a groupie," she is belied by her students' praise and the fact that the College Board awarded her a $3,000 grant for using "innovative methods to inspire [her] students to write." The grant is awarded annually to six winners in their respective regions, and Frazier represents New England.

"Basically, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be where I am today," said 19-year-old Cindy Mercer, who has been with the group since its inception. Mercer is known as the group's "poet laureate," and late last year took second place at an Eastern Connecticut State University poetry slam. The following week, she opened for the Def Poets at ECSU.

Young Poet and Windham High School senior Kevin Hernandez called Frazier an "outstanding woman." He said that when she wanted something from her students, they were inspired to meet the challenge.

"[She is] the most determined person I know - she definitely knows where we're coming from," he said.

Hernandez recently joined the Young Poets and has performed his own rap music since middle school. Before the Saturday night performance at the Swift Water Artisan's Cooperative in Willimantic, he said his poems were "mostly about poverty and struggle."

But after fellow poet Ben Fitzsimmons performed a poem about the angst of unrequited love, Hernandez was inspired to continue the theme. His next poem began, "Hey love, it's my turn to send you a message."

The most startling part of the presentation came when 17-year-old Carmen Rentaz took the stage in baby-blue and white sneaker-laces and gold Mickey Mouse jewelry.

In contrast to her exuberant appearance, her searing poem, "What You Stole From Me," stunned the packed room with its vivid description of violence and oppression. The poem ended, "When I speak my mind to you / All my hate is spilling / You look me in the eye / And say: It's not rape, when you're willing."

Frazier plans to use the grant to help fund a weeklong festival in May called, "Think and Be Heard: Celebrating Strengths and Creativity." The festival is intended to "bring focus to the strengths of Willimantic," and will include dance performances, visual art, a poetry slam and a motivational speaker.

In addition to the Bob Costas Grant - which is named for the Emmy-award winning broadcaster in honor of his support for the National Commission on Writing - the festival will be funded by a $2,000 grant from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.

The Young Poets will be featured at the festival and are also scheduled to participate in a poetry slam and workshop at Eastern Connecticut State Wednesday. In addition, they have been invited to perform at the Buttonwood Tree in Middletown on March 14. They plan to eventually publish a sequel to their book.

The Young Poets were formed in 2003, after Frazier and her students saw a presentation by famed author and poet, Luis Rodriguez, who is best known for his memoir, "Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A."

"The connection was so strong," Frazier said. "He had a very, very tough life, and he turned himself around. He was just so real. Often kids feel invisible - they walk around with a wounded heart and a smile on their face. And he saw that."

The group intends to continue performing and expanding their sphere of influence. Hernandez said he would like to stay involved as a poet after he finishes school, and as a mentor for other aspiring writers and performers.

Mercer also plans to stay involved. "I really would love to take this everywhere, go on tour - just get out there - maybe eventually be on HBO's 'Def Poetry' - that's a dream of mine," she said. "I've opened for them, but I haven't actually been on the show."

"Eventually," she added, "we are going to have to stop calling ourselves Young Poets."

Contact Heather Murdock at Heather.Murdock@UConn.edu.