This episode of the Making After School Cool Podcast focuses on the Power of Poetry and the Spoken Word. Since, 1996, the month of April has been designated as National Poetry Month. This distinction reminds the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters. My guest today is a poet in the Houston area, Ms. Jo-Ann Blanchard. Ms. Blanchard has been writing since the age of 10 and is an advocate of domestic violence prevention and intervention.  During this podcast you will learn more about the following:

1. How Ms. Blanchard started to get recognized as a poet
2. How to develop poems
3. Overcoming the fear of sharing writings with others?
4. Overcoming Writers’ Block
5. How can the written word help youth struggling with mental health issues.

Resources

Mike Wilson – [email protected]

Ms. Jo Anne Blanchard – [email protected]

Harris County Department of Education – www.hcde-texas.org

CASE for Kids - www.hcde-texas.org/afterschoolzone