Update: The event will now be combined with an annual poetry contest, the Proces Poetry Prize, hosted by the Neenah Public Library. The awards ceremony and pending poetry reading is planned for September 2019; students can find more information at this link.

A poetry and art showcase event for students in grades K-12, hosted by the NHS Writer’s Club, will take place on April 29 in the Neenah Public Library.

The event aims to provide students with an opportunity to display their work in front of an audience, Melissa Binsfeld, Writer’s Club adviser, said.

Students in their kindergarten to senior year can submit a poem, written for the event’s chosen theme “memories,” by April 15. Original artwork may also accompany the entries. Participants will read their poems aloud at the reception on April 29, from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

The Neenah Police Department and the Art Counsel will sponsor the event, which the Writer’s Club is organizing for the first time this year. The event has history with the NPD; they are now passing the baton to Binsfeld and club members.

Freshman club member Abigail Wise proposed the theme of memories to inspire students. Everyone has memories, so all participants can relate, she said.

The club hopes to see many students participating. “We ultimately want our students to be writing,” Binsfeld said.

In addition to promoting literacy, the event also celebrates National Poetry Month, April.

To get involved, students may register their poems using the Google form. If participating is out of the ballpark, however, they should encourage friends to enter, and they can attend the event to support peers.

“I’m looking forward to an opportunity to share our voices and our stories.” Lauren Sturgell, Writers Club president, said. “Sharing poetry is a unique way to spread our ideas within the community.”