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Coffee Co. High School (CCHS) was injected with a renewed sense of creative energy following a powerful week of self-discovery. The entire sophomore class recently participated in a spoken word residency facilitated by the local nonprofit Southern Word, which ran from October 13th to 18th. This transformative opportunity was made possible by the dedication of CCHS English teacher Mike Stein, who secured a generous $7,500 grant from the Lilian Ashley Foundation.

While $1,500 helped fund a successful spoken word residency for the senior class last year, the remaining $5,000 was dedicated to this year’s program for sophomores. This successful expansion means CCHS and Southern Word served 372 sophomores through the October residency and 295 seniors through the January writer residency, demonstrating a commitment to integrating spoken word across grade levels.

The impact of the residency was immediately apparent, according to Mr. Stein’s colleagues. One teacher noted that students learned to use “things about themselves, even things they see as ugly or embarrassing,” and were able to “work through those things and turn them into something beautiful.” This process showed students that not all poetry is difficult and that they aren’t alone in their experiences.

Other teachers praised the structure and content of the residency, noting that students who might struggle in a traditional classroom setting actually thrived with the activities and produced extremely creative work. They found the instructors engaging, the video performances powerful, and the free-write time meaningful, allowing students to be creative with fewer normal constraints.

The enthusiasm surrounding the residency has helped launch Mr. Stein’s new spoken word club, Unscripted. This club is for students who want to explore spoken word poetry, which is a unique, performance-based art form where poems are crafted to be performed aloud for an audience. Unlike traditional poetry, which is often structured and meant to be read, spoken word is all about energy, emotion, and voice, bringing stories and ideas to life through wordplay, vivid imagery, humor, gestures, and dramatic performance. It often tackles personal experiences and social issues, creating powerful connections with listeners.

The Southern Word residency and the launch of Unscripted mark a vital step in honoring spoken word and oral traditions at CCHS. They are giving students a powerful, creative outlet to share their stories and discover the beauty in their own voices.