The list of Westerville South’s many clubs and afterschool activities has just received its latest addition in the form of the Power to Poets club. This latest club, created by Junior Nabiha Ilkaqor and advised by Librarian Brandi Young, focuses on recognizing the positive impact that poetry can have on students. 

According to Ilkaqor, she decided to start this club because “I knew that I loved poetry, and I wanted to use it for my global scholars presentation about education.”

Ilkaqor stated that she wishes for the club to foster creativity in the minds of its participants through the connection of many different forms of poetry and the cooperation with younger Westerville students. She explained that poetry can be shown, written, and spoken in many different forms, which means as an art it resonates with many types of people.  

Ilkaqor further stated that the focus of the club is to assign each member a certain form of poetry that they will work with throughout the year, additionally, each member will cooperate with a 5th grader from one of Westerville’s elementary schools to write poems that will be read at a poetry slam held in March of 2023.

Ilkaqor also clarified that the Power to Poets club is different from the Poetry Club. Instead of only writing and sharing poems, she wishes to use the creation of poems while cooperating with younger students to foster an understanding of the intuitive processes involved. 

In addition to working with Westerville students, Ilkaqor expressed the intention to include students within the Columbus City School district. She stated that she wishes to use poetry to reach students that learn in decrepit buildings with no air conditioning at no financial burden to them. She stated that these students will have the ability to de-stress, and concurrently, improve their literacy skills and learn in new ways.

Ilkaqor did not elaborate any further on how she planned to facilitate this venture.  

The first informational meeting took place on Wednesday, Oct. 19 and had an attendance of around 7 members, not including Young and Ilkaqor. New members are always welcomed and are encouraged to visit. This club meets every Wednesday after school in the blue wing fishbowl from 2:15 to 3:00 p.m.