Last year, kids from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Texas participated in creative writing workshops.

Those involved with the workshop experience said it offered kids a safe place for their voices to be heard and an outlet for self-expression.

The writing workshops eventually developed into a published anthology full of poems from the kids.

“You see lots about you know unicorns and rainbows and you know gumdrops and things like that, but you know sometimes there’s also somethings that you know some turmoil that they may be going through that you read in their poetry as well and you know we’re just glad that we’re able to give them a positive outlet for some of those things,” said Tiana Quick, CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Texas.

Jacie Anderson, a seventh grade student at Eastern Hills Middle School, shared she hopes the anthology helps those who read it.

“To make other people feel happy about themselves… so they don’t get sad,” said Anderson.

The recently published Writing for Positive Change anthology includes more than 400 poems from Boys and Girls Club members at Clements, Copperas Cove, Gatesville and Lampasas sites.

The book is available for purchase at their website and all proceeds go back to the club.

— KXXV