ST. IGNATIUS — Eight sixth-graders at St. Ignatius Middle School have been named finalists in the National Baseball Poetry Festival in Massachusetts.
Students in Marissa Mock's sixth-grade class spent nearly a month writing baseball-themed poems after Mock challenged them to enter the national competition.
"The biggest thing was we're going to enter into a contest and try to win, and this group of students is super competitive," Mock said.
Among the finalists are students Jordyn Franks and Monte Matt, whose poems will be recognized at the festival.
Franks described the inspiration behind her work.
"When I thought about it, popcorn and hot dogs at a baseball game popped in my mind, and seeds to eat, and I thought about the dugout," Franks said.
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Mock said she was overjoyed when she learned her students had been selected.
"I was just so ecstatic, and I couldn't believe it," Mock said. "I even called one of the moms right away and said, 'Your son just won!'"
For the students, the project was a chance to explore their own voices through writing.
"I like that you can do anything with writing. It's creative. You can write about anything you want and share with who you want," Matt said.
Mock said the experience reinforced what she values most about teaching writing.
"The biggest thing I like about writing is how expressive kids can be. I think it is just a positive thing," Mock said.
More information about the festival can be found here.
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