Gulf High students show creative sides

By MEGAN HUSSEY

NEW PORT RICHEY - Poetry, music, stories and dramatic readings were served up at Gulf High School's poetry coffeehouse, which took place April 1 at Books-A-Million in New Port Richey.

According to Jan Ledman, Gulf High English teacher and coffeehouse coordinator, these monthly poetic forums are important for her students' creative and academic growth.

``I wanted to establish a tradition of oral readings so that the school would be more balanced in its extracurricular opportunities,'' she said.

And, she stresses, it's not only Gulf High students who benefit from the poetry coffeehouses.

``We invite all the schools of Pasco County,'' Ledman said. ``Because Saint Leo University has been so generous through the efforts of professor Kurt Van Wilt, Pasco County schools have often joined forces at these readings.''

Aside from serving as a venue for original poetry and musical performances, the coffeehouses have inspired strong bonds among the students and staff of various Pasco schools - as well as numerous creative endeavors.

``Pasco High School students go to Saint Leo for readings, and Kurt and his students come to Gulf High for ours,'' Ledman said. ``This interaction has boosted interest in poetry and the readings tremendously.''

Ledman says her students particularly admire the work of Cole Bellamy, a writer who attends Saint Leo. They also have taken St. Leo courses with professors such as Van Wilt and Mark (Tiger) Edmonds, and have published pieces in the college's literary journal.

Another Saint Leo professor, Ernie Williams, also has shown his avid support of student- driven literary arts and music, Ledman said. And, she says, he has shown off some keen banjo-playing skills at the poetry coffeehouses.

The origins of the coffeehouse event can be found in the student poetry readings that Ledman administered under the guidance of fellow English teacher Stan Trapp; who, in turn, drew inspiration from a third instructor who made poetry a vital part of her curriculum.

``A new teacher who wrote poetry arrived at the school,'' Ledman said. ``She inspired a fellow teacher, Stan Trapp, to write poetry, assign more poetry to his students, and attend poetry readings. I soon jumped on this bandwagon.''

``When Stan began holding what became an annual poetry reading around winter break for students, I brought my students along too,'' she said. ``When Mr. Trapp went into administration, I took over hosting the poetry readings, and started having them several times a year.''

The poetry readings eventually evolved into coffeehouses; public forums for student creativity that feature both live readings and poetry slam contests that offer prizes for winning works.

``I did this because my students were writing some very good stuff,'' she said. ``I wanted a venue for them to go public.''

Ledman also has found that the coffeehouse events have another important purpose; uniting people who love to write, read and perform.

``I love the community of writers and musicians that has formed and grown over the years,`` she said. ``And all through the power of the written and spoken word.''