Spokane Teens Turn Poetry Into Power | Spokane News

Spokane’s teen poets are taking center stage—with cash, produce, and powerful voices. Mery Noel Smith’s summer workshop paid teens $15 to perform poetry and gifted them fresh local veggies, sparking creativity and mentorship. Now, Spokane’s first youth poet laureate, Hope Austin, leads the fall edition, with performances at the Terrain festival’s Literature Park. Teens have shared work at the Kendall Yards Night Market and even with the Spokesman-Review, from tomato plant musings to pigeon-watching tales. Poems like “Hair,” “Swimming With Pigeons,” and “Vision to Fruition” prove young minds are not just creative—they’re deeply insightful. These workshops aren’t just fun; they’re empowering, showing that kids’ words carry weight and wonder. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/8d9f963fb9de3e7d