University of Wisconsin - Extension

Wisconsin Poet Laureate Ellen Kort of Appleton says: "There should be poetry everywhere." She takes the mission to heart; going so far as to use glow-in-the-dark sidewalk chalk to embellish with poetry the streets of her Fox Valley hometown.

She will join with Wisconsin Public Television (WPT) and University of Wisconsin-Extension 4-H Youth Development groups to bring that passion to Wisconsin's youth in a new, six-month effort called Poetic License.

The project explores the power of spoken word encouraging teens to write and perform poetry.

4-H members and other youth will work with Kort during workshops in Sheboygan, Richland, Door and Pierce counties in January and February. The youth will then perform their poems on a date and at a location to be determined.

"It's very exciting to have a poet of the stature of Ellen Kort as the instructor for these workshops," said Patricia Day, a 4-H youth development state specialist and an organizer of the event. "It's also exciting because the project fits so well with 4-H's continuing work to bring opportunities for artistic expression to young people throughout the state."

The regional workshops will be hosted by 4-H youth development agents, and will incorporate concepts from creative writing sections of "Building Bridges" the 4-H communications curriculum. The workshops and performances will be taped by WPT for later use in programming.

WPT will host a Web site where youth can submit written, taped or videotaped poetry for streaming on a Web site, http://wpt.org/poeticlicense/ .

The site launches in January.

"It's an opportunity for young adults to read, write, explore language and provide an outlet for their emotions," said Lynne Blinkenberg, WPT's associate director of outreach. "Varied groups of kids, their parents, teachers and communities can come together and find their voices through this effort."

For more information about the Poetic License project, please contact

Trisha Day, 608-262-3404, patricia.day@ces.uwex.edu .