Academy hosts lively, personal poetry contest

On Saturday 11^th November, 110 MYP students from grades 9 and 10 took over the library in a riotous slam poetry session. Led by Senior School English faculty, students took turns reciting spoken word poetry, expressing themselves on issues close to their heart.

Aaniqa Hemnani, grade 9, says, “I was scared about my writing because I wanted them to understand my feelings.” Aaniqa’s poem, An Independent Woman, was lauded by her classmates and teachers. Students were inspired by their classmates to write more poetry and express themselves.

It is part of the Aga Khan Academies' learner profile to have students be deep thinkers and inquirers, and creative activities like writing and discussing poetry is a fun and challenging way of developing those qualities. The Academy has planned a series of working Saturdays throughout the semester to work on these attributes and others, ensuring that our students’ learning goes beyond the classroom.

"Nothing gets the heart racing quite like a room of young people sharing and listening to poems that speak to them," said English faculty, George Macpherson. "The standing ovation at the close of grade 9 poetry slam will live long in the memory."

Written by Ajay Sundaram