Bilingual poetry reading on the way

Published 8:12 am Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Southgate Elementary School’s Media Center is about to become a poet’s corner.

This Thursday, Southgate will host a poetry reading from the book “My Name is Jorge: On Both Sides of the River.” Eight students will read four poems in English and Spanish about a boy named Jorge and his experiences in school.

“(We want to) get people thinking about different cultures and experiences,” said Nicole Winter, an English as a Second Language teacher at Southgate.

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The event is similar to last year’s bilingual book club event, where students, staff and parents read a book in English and Spanish and discussed its meaning, along with how differing cultures impact the Austin community.

“Southgate has come up with some really creative ways to bring their building community together,” said Kristi Beckman, Austin Public School’s integration coordinator. “I think the idea of using poetry is wonderful because it exposes the kids to something wonderful that they might not get a lot of exposure to in class.”

The poetry reading will take place between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Any who are interested in attending should RSVP by calling Southgate at 460-1300. The event is open to the public.