English class was turned into an open mic show for 35 Bethel Park High School students who participated in a poetry slam event in honor of National Poetry Month.

The students assembled in the school’s Little Theater on April 30 for a workshop on Slam Poetry Performance led by Danielle Estelle Ramsay, assistant director of Young Steel for the Pittsburgh Poetry Collective.

The organization provides a space for self-expression, identity exploration and social justice by hosting performances and community writing workshops for youth and adults.

English teacher Chelsea Casagranda said they brought Ms. Ramsay in to encourage students to step out of their comfort zones.

“While a lot of them are creative, innovative and love to write and create poetry, they sort of lack the confidence necessary for that performance piece,” she said. “I’m hoping she inspires them to not only write some of their own work, but possibly perform it.”

Ms. Ramsay competes in poetry slams across the country and was the Pittsburgh representative at the Women of the World Poetry Slam 2015 held in Albuquerque, N.M., in March.

Originally from Spokane, Wash., she started writing performance poetry seven years ago at the age of 15 after attending a poetry workshop where it was demonstrated. Around the same time, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and said it offered an outlet for her feelings.

She began her presentation by sharing with students how performance poetry offers poets a chance to connect with their audience and build community. She performed “It’s Better Under the Hat,” a humorous  piece about her experience working at a fast-food restaurant, which was met with laughter from the students.

She then delved into more serious issues and performed “Mexican Ghost” about racial discrimination, “Good Business” about being a woman in American culture, “Stigma” about Rosemary Kennedy’s experience with mental illness and “Girl Please” about the pressures on high school and college students to be successful.

After her performance, students were given the prompt “Where are you from?” and asked to make a list of people, places or things that make them feel at home. They then used their five senses to describe one or two on their list and were encouraged to be “weird.”

Ms. Ramsay used the example of a friend’s basement, which she described as a warm blanket, happy sunset and friendly puppy.

The room was abuzz as students crafted their own pieces before being handed the microphone.

Junior Jeffrey Noel, 18, was the first to read his original work “Spiders.”

He writes music as well, but it was his first time to publicly share his poetry. Jeffrey said he feared facing criticism or misunderstanding.

Encouraged by applause from students, he shared a second poem later during the workshop.

Freshman Danika Moody, 15, had participated in a workshop at the Collective and is on the high school’s forensics team, but said she still gets nervous.

She shared her poem, “I Don’t Have Red Hair,” about her parent’s divorce, which brought tears to the eyes of some students. Her second piece, “The Makeup Given,” was equally moving.

When freshman Kayleigh Moon, 16, took to the stage she performed “Bride and Groom,” which was written from the perspectives of a bride and groom on their wedding day.

She has taken theater arts classes and performed in the school play, but said it can be hard to publicly share a deeply personal piece.

Still shaking after her first performance, she didn’t let her nerves get the best of her as she performed two more.

“It was a very creative atmosphere,” she said.

English teacher Leigh Ann Totty said she encourages all of her students to share their poems out loud since they can be more clearly understood when they are performed.

Poetry is one of many genres Ms. Totty said students explore in their creative writing classes. They also write short stories, craft one-act plays and delve into nonfiction.

The goal of it all, she said, is to develop their imagination and inspiration and help them to become better observers of life.

Details: www.pghpoetry.org.

Shannon M. Nass, freelance writer: suburbanliving@post-gazette.com.

First Published: May 8, 2015, 4:00 a.m.