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]