Studies regularly indicate that girls score higher in reading and writing than boys by a statistically significant amount. Travis Elementary School in the Heights is working hard to change that. The PTA pays for Writers in the Schools (WITS) to help create a rich environment for boys (and girls) to grow as readers and writers. In January Travis librarian Amy Cole Barile (the beloved Ms. B!) started a special after-school club for boys, dads, and others called Books & Boys. The hard work is paying off! Below are three outstanding poems by 4th grade boys at Travis:

Evolution

A six-legged

glowworm

burrows into the

flame-resistant

magma

and

evolves

into a

winged

salamander.

By Ralph
[photo by Shutter Moments via flickr]

Bone Yard in the Clouds

I was rushing
to the bone yard
in the clouds
searching for the
happiness that
had spread all
across the world
when dripping
from the sky came
a drop of rain
clashing down
against the
concrete
beside a
homeless
man’s
feet.

By Max
[photo by freg via flickr]

Gold

glistening in the falling smoke

Gold

a contest of money

Gold

steals the sparkle out of every child’s eye

Gold

Gold

Gold

that block of gold.

By Kelly

[photo by Claire Médaisko via flickr]