The crowd that gathered at the Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club on June 20 included an excited group of elementary and secondary school students, their parents, supporters, mentors and teachers from various Coast schools. But it was the students who shone in their role as published poets and writers for the launch of the sixth edition of Coastal Voices, a collection of writing, mostly poetry, from local kids.
One 13 year old said he had been writing for a long time but had never been published before, until now. Other children stood up courageously to read their poems to the audience.
The adjudicators had read 400 entries, and 87 of them were selected for the book. The quality is high – from the little ones describing what snow means to them to the older kids exploring more philosophical notions or writing about the waves, the trees, their sports teams or their dogs. There are three prose pieces from older students and a few that would qualify for the genre of prose poems.
This celebration of literacy involved both the Festival of the Written Arts (FOWA) and School District No. 46. FOWA producer Jane Davidson thanked the masterminds behind the book and gave credit to John Lussier of Roberts Creek Elementary School who encouraged the students and gave staff time and commitment.
“It’s all about the story telling and the truth told by these young students,” Lussier said. “It was a work of love from everybody involved.”
Emmalyn McKenna designed the cover – the Chatelech Secondary student will head to Emily Carr University of Art and Design next term. Edmund Arceo of Zoom magazine fame donated his graphic design talent and time to put together the book.
The last word should go to Grade 5 Gibsons Elementary student Emma Hollett, who said in her poem, “Without poetry we’re alone.”
