PLC conducted a poetry composition and delivery course for 132 high school students at three project sites: Kaū High & Pahala Elementary School, Kea‘au High School, and Pāhoa High & Intermediate School. From April 1, 2024, to May 31, 2024, PLC engaged Steven K. Wong (a.k.a. Kealoha), the first Poet Laureate of Hawaii, as a poet-in-residence at these sites. The three-day course included three phases: Investigative Writing, which focused on place-based narratives and self-identity; Exploratory Writing, which explored influential people and events in the students’ lives; and the implementation of verbal and non-verbal techniques for effective slam poetry delivery and performance.
