Each session of this workshop will consist of reading and discussing individual poems as a group, followed by time spent writing on our own, and student’s giving critique and feedback of each other’s work under the guidance of the instructor. 

Poems read during class time will be divided into two subjects: Appalachia: A Land & People and Other Lands & Peoples 

All students should be prepared to share their own work and give feedback to their peers. 

This workshop is inclusive. The instructor welcomes the participation of students ages 14- 19 regardless of class, race, and identity. If you are writing poems or want to begin, you are invited to the table.

Workshop is completely FREE

Sessions of this workshop will be from 1:00-3:00 PM on campus at Hindman Settlement School on the following dates:

Saturday April 25

Saturday May 2

Saturday May 16th

Saturday May 23rd

About the Instructor

Clayton Spencer was raised in Oneida, KY and holds a BA in English from the University of Kentucky. While attending UK, he focused on poetry as much as possible, primarily under the instruction of Rebecca Gayle Howell and Jane Gentry Vance. He has had a dedicated reading and writing practice since 2018. His debut chapbook, “Concerning the Service”, was a 2024 winner of the Beyond Words chapbook prize, published by Beyond Words Press and he has published individual poems in multiple journals including The Southern Humanities Review, Appalachian Review. He is the previous recipient of an ARTie Award for Artistic Excellence in poetry from the Ohio Arts Council and has twice been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Clay serves as Youth Literary Arts Outreach Coordinator at the Hindman Settlement School. 

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