The purpose of the International Poetry Forum’s Poets-in-Person program is to introduce and develop an appreciation of poetry in elementary and junior and senior high school students. The project embraces the mission of the Forum by enhancing the quality of life for students by making the arts accessible to them.

A regional poet is assigned to each participating school (usually to a particular teacher) for three visits during the academic year. Each session is at least one class period in length, but no more than two hours. With the teacher’s collaboration, the poet conducts a writing workshop, a poetry reading or a discussion group. The teacher and the poet work out the details of when the visits will be made and what material will be covered. Since the object of these exercises is for the poet to be able to interact closely with the students, the program is not targeted for assembly presentation.

The program has been very well received by the students, teachers, and poets. Some student comments include: "It is uncommon for any of us to be moved by anything like this in our daily classes," "…it made me like poetry better," "…an interesting and exciting experience," "I learned that poems can show a lot about us---like how we feel," "I wish we had more time," "Definitely do this again next year!"

The program concludes the school year with a one-day symposium featuring a nationally known poet, such as Sue Ellen Thompson (2000), Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky (1999), Martín Espada (1998), Naomi Shihab Nye (1997), Galway Kinnell (1996), and Yevgeny Yevtushenko (1995). All participating students, teachers and poets are invited to the symposium, which is held at a local high school.

In conjunction with this program, the participating schools are also offered tickets to the Forum’s Poets-in-Person series at the Carnegie Lecture Hall. Ticket prices are discounted to a price of $5.00 (regular student price is $8.00). Poets and actors who have appeared in this series include W.S. Merwin, Seamus Heaney, Maxine Kumin, Yusef Komunyakka, Richard Wilbur, Robert Pinsky, James Earl Jones, Princess Grace of Monaco, W.H. Auden, Derek Walcott, and Nancy Willard. Each school is provided with a program preview packet for each poet that includes a sampling of the poet’s work and a short biography.

There is a nominal participation fee of $250 per school, which helps to cover the costs of the symposium. All other costs are covered by grants to the International Poetry Forum.