Chester High School Creative Writing and Senior Composition Classes (both taught by Rana Hodge), 25 students total.
The field trip idea came from an assignment in Creative Writing. One of the first class projects was to “create a field trip,” and students had to complete the official school paperwork with real details, plans, times, dates, a budget, a reason it connects to the class, and even state standards. Two of the projects were approved by Principal Blechle — the first was a class field trip to the Chester Public Library, submitted by Hannah Kaemphe and Nico DeGuzman, and this field trip to Carbondale was created by Ice Smith and Austin McDonald. Cherie Watson of SIUC helped Miss Hodge plan the agenda and guided us throughout the day.
To prepare for the trip, students in both classes had to research and teach their fellow students about a variety of topics pertaining to the experience, including presentations on Professor Sharp, Professor Allison Joseph, SIUC history, Faner Hall, and more.
Students were given the Saluki Welcome in the rotunda of Morris Library, where they also received a tour and a visit to special collections. Here research specialist Aaron Lisec prepared a unique look at Chester history — from Civil War letters to 1970s photographs, students were surprised to learn that there were archival records and some downright interesting artifacts being preserved from their hometown.
In the afternoon, students headed to the Sharp Museum for a tour guided by Wes Stoerger. Due to their research, they understood the Sharp legacy and the connection from Chester to the halls in the Carbondale gallery. Here, they saw exhibits from SIUC art students, Southern Illinois women artists, regional artists, world art, and historical art collections. Pieces ranged from ceramics and paintings to interpretive dance (on film) and even a series of work depicting a unique language created by Carbondale artist, Marquez Scoggin.
At the gallery, Professor Allison Joseph (world-renowned poet and SIUC faculty member) led a poetry workshop with Chester students on Ekphrastic poetry — or, poetry inspired by art. Students learned about the subject with a mini-lecture by Joseph, and then wrote poetry inspired by the art in the Sharp Museum.
At the end of the workshop, students shared their work with Professor Allison Joseph and the group. Joseph explained that the rough drafts and fresh ideas are like “wet paint,” and students should continue to work with them, ideally even visiting the original art again for new ideas and inspiration — but despite the short amount of time the students had to work, she was impressed with their creativity, boldness, and ability to tackle big emotions with small words. Some students wrote poems of heartbreak and pain, while others saw uplifting visions or were curious about the art. Professor Joseph invited students back for a Writers’ Conference — a two day workshop in June for high-school students who are passionate about the art of writing. Several students expressed excitement about the idea and hope to return to SIUC this summer.