Anthologies “New Wings” and “Rising Stars” published at CMS, MMS

Published 2:22 pm Monday, June 1, 2015

By Phoebe Donald Robinson

Pictured from Columbiana Middle School presentation are: Bottom row, left to right: Alan Alcantar, Adrian Brown, Carlee Chappell, Peri Clark, Matthew Crittenden, Ashlyn Eskridge, Pablo Flores-Sanchez, Andrew Gothard; second row, Bethany McKinney, Braily Lovelady, Davis Leatherwood, Emma Kirkland, Brittan Kelly, Chase Holliman, Ashlee Hall; third row, Heather Bass, Aubree Roberson, JaMyia Riggins, Jackson Pontius, Jacob Pate, Greg Oliver, Faythe Moore, Carson Monroe; fourth row, Ethan Portis, Courtney Poole, Anna Martin, Jerry Jones, Colt Hardin, Tabi Gray, Ericsson Goodman, Trevor Davis; fifth row, editor Tony Crunk, Alanna Whitten, Madison Teal, Noah Seritt, Diane Sanders. (Contributed) Top row: Alabama Writer’s Forum Executive Director Jeanie Thompson, SCAC Executive Director Bruce Andrews, Keynote Speaker and “Spoken Word” Poet Quang Do, SCAC Founder Terri Sullivan, CMS Teacher Richard Scott, CMS Principal Dr. Kerry Rush

Pictured from Columbiana Middle School presentation are: Bottom row, left to right: Alan Alcantar, Adrian Brown, Carlee Chappell, Peri Clark, Matthew Crittenden, Ashlyn Eskridge, Pablo Flores-Sanchez, Andrew Gothard; second row, Bethany McKinney, Braily Lovelady, Davis Leatherwood, Emma Kirkland, Brittan Kelly, Chase Holliman, Ashlee Hall; third row, Heather Bass, Aubree Roberson, JaMyia Riggins, Jackson Pontius, Jacob Pate, Greg Oliver, Faythe Moore, Carson Monroe; fourth row, Ethan Portis, Courtney Poole, Anna Martin, Jerry Jones, Colt Hardin, Tabi Gray, Ericsson Goodman, Trevor Davis; fifth row, editor Tony Crunk, Alanna Whitten, Madison Teal, Noah Seritt, Diane Sanders. (Contributed)
Top row: Alabama Writer’s Forum Executive Director Jeanie Thompson, SCAC Executive Director Bruce Andrews, Keynote Speaker and “Spoken Word” Poet Quang Do, SCAC Founder Terri Sullivan, CMS Teacher Richard Scott, CMS Principal Dr. Kerry Rush

By PHOEBE DONALD ROBINSON / Community Columnist

For the last five years, students at Columbiana Middle School have published an anthology of poems under the direction of poet Tony Crunk, a project under the direction of the Shelby County Arts Council and the Alabama Writer’s Forum.

Through intense fundraising by the SCAC, a second school was added, Montevallo Middle School.

As a result, 39 students at CMS and 43 students at MMS are published poets of the respective books, “New Wings” and “Rising Stars.”

The 10-week program targeted to seventh grade students is called “Writing Our Stories.”

The SCAC won the 2013 Impact Award from the Alabama Alliance for Arts Education for this program.

Mr. Richard Scott was host teacher at CMS, and Dr. Kerry Rush is principal.

Ms. Evelyn Moore was host teacher at MMS, and Mrs. Sheila Lewis is principal.

This project would not have been possible without the support of sponsors who donate funding: Alabama State Council of the Arts; Sen. Cam Ward; Seaman Foundation; Steve and Leslie Nordess; SCAC Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign; and Alabama Power Elevate grant.

Columbiana Middle School authors of “New Wings” are: Alan Alcantar; Heather Bass; Adrian Brown; Carlee Chappell; Peri Clark; Matthew Crittenden; Trevor Davis; Ashlyn Eskridge; Pablo Flores; Ericsson Goodman; Andrew Gothard; Tabitha Gray; Ashlee Hall; Colton Hardin; Chase Holliman; Kaleb Johnson; Jerry Jones; Brittan Kelley; Emma Kirkland; Davis Leatherwood; Braily Lovelady; Anna Martin; Bethany McKinney; Carson Monroe; Faythe Moore; Greg Oliver; Jacob Pate; Jackson Pontius; Courtney Poole; Ethan Portis; Caleb Rayburn; JaMyia Riggins; Aubree Roberson; Dallas Robinson; Diane Sanders; Noah Seritt; Madison Teal; Trena Wells; and Alanna Witten.

Montevallo Middle School authors of “Rising Stars” are: Briley Adams; Vanessa Avalos; Dylan Brantley; Jaxon Butterworth; Heriberto Casildo; Rustin Conn; Grant Cordes; Darryn Easterling; Kinley Edwards; Bella Fancher; Davion Gilbert; Victor Guardado; Isa Harris; Jemari Harris; Polly Holsomback; Keturah Hunt; Malik Inabinette; Peter Jackson; Hunter Johnson; Ryan King; Lindsey Kornegay; Yordan Landaverde; Avery Lawley; Micah Layton; Wilson Massey; Jaylon McKenzie; Aubrey Moreland; Denise Ocampo; Ashlyn Olvera; Trent Page; Niesha Piper; Asia Prentice; Jorge Ramos; Kenton Reedy; Keneria Rutledge; Carl Sellers; Jonathan Sharpe; Baxley Shores; Emily Anne Smith; Ariel Suarez; Tamyajah Sullens; Anna Thompson; and Cecil Vail.

About Phoebe Donald Robinson

I am President of Donald Real Estate and Ins. Co., Inc., a company that my grandfather , Charles J. Donald, founded in 1925. I am the third generation owner of the business. I am also the Columbiana Columnist for the Shelby County Reporter.

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