30 poets to participate in islandwide school tour promoting literacy

The Silent Stone by Falloon-Reid and When Mali Went to School by Smith. Falloon-Reid subsequently visited Immanuel & St Andrew Primary School in Lambeth, where she engaged year six students in discussions about creative writing and storytelling. She also shared experiences from her journey as the first Jamaican woman to visit Antarctica, documented in her publications The Antarctica – Adventures with a Jamaican on Ice and Aaah – Inspiring Antarctica . During the visit, the school’s Acting Assistant Administrator, Rebecca Florence, highlighted Falloon-Reid’s achievement as an example of courage, which was the focus of the school’s Black History Month observance. Students were also shown a 10-minute film documenting the author’s literary journey.

Meanwhile, Smith conducted a motivational poetry workshop at Sedgehill Academy in Lewisham, southeast London, where he encouraged students facing various challenges to pursue their goals. He also held three sessions involving six classes at Torridon Primary School, sharing Anancy stories, poetry and readings from his children’s book, When Mali Went to School . The publication, dedicated to his late mother, Mildred Wilson, draws on his childhood experiences in Westmoreland and explores the uncertainty children may experience when starting school. Back in Jamaica, Smith will lead the islandwide tour, which will feature several established and emerging poets. Among the participants are 2023 Commonwealth Short Story Prize global winner Kwame McPherson; Christena A V Williams, who performs as Antonia Valaire and received the 2013 Prime Minister’s National Youth Award; Poets in Unity co-founder Tomlin Ellis; Charlie Bobus; Amaziyah The Great; Garfield Goulbourne, also known as Sir G; Christine Neil-Wright; Darwitt; and Wise Wurdz.…