The room is quiet. A single voice rises—clear, unshaken, or maybe it’s trembling just slightly. And then, another. One by one, they speak their truths aloud. In a world that often asks students to keep their heads down, three students at DSST: Green Valley Ranch High School are standing up, speaking out, and learning what it means to be heard.

“I used to hate writing poetry,” said Bronson Reed. “But now I love it.”

For Reed, poetry was an unexpected revelation. For Melala Nasir, it was a necessity. “I wanted to have an outlet to express myself,” she said. And for Genesis Archila, it was a chance to prove something. “I am competitive and I wanted to achieve something.”

These students took part in Poetry Out Loud and Poetry Ourselves, two national programs that invite high schoolers to dive into the world of poetry—writing it, performing it, and living it. Nasir won GVR’s school Poetry Out Loud competition and competed at the state level on March 17 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Reed and Archila were named winners of the statewide Poetry Ourselves competition for their original written work and were invited to read their poems at the same event. But what they discovered went far beyond the boundaries of a competition.

“I wanted to write something that would be impactful,” said Archila. “My poem also has the ability to spread awareness and bring light to something that is not openly talked about.”

Her words carry weight—words she crafted carefully, knowing the silence they might break.

Nasir, who performed a series of poems, felt drawn to pieces that spoke of pain, hope, and things left unsaid. “The first poem I am performing describes this depressing, gloomy place. The second insists on the need to be positive,” she said. “The final poem, like Genesis’, talks about things that are not talked about enough, and it lets me speak out about things happening in the world.”

Reed took a personal approach. “The message of the poem I wrote is to live how you want to live, no matter what others say,” he said. “And that is how I try to live.”

For each of them, poetry offered a different path to the same destination: honesty.

But truth-telling onstage isn't easy. Archila named her hardest moment without hesitation: “Having to perform my original poem in front of a live audience.” For Nasir, the challenge was more internal. “Remembering to breathe when I perform,” she said. “Sometimes I will forget lines if I am not breathing properly.”

The three students reflect a mix of discipline and instinct—hallmarks of real writers. And through it all, poetry has quietly transformed them.

“It has opened my mind,” said Nasir. “Looking into what poems are about has given me so many new perspectives on life.”

“Poetry is a form to express myself,” said Archila. “And I think reading other poems is a great way to learn about other experiences and emotions. I will absolutely continue this.”

“Poetry is a form of writing, and I love writing, so it is a hobby I really enjoy,” said Reed. “I love doing it, so that is the impact. I will keep writing them!”

Their teacher, Ehrah Hodes, has witnessed their growth with a kind of awe. “They have made me more brave,” he said. “Their maturity, their moral compass, their grace… It blows my mind every week. I push them, and whether they know it or not, they push me.”

Hodes, who teaches English Language Arts at GVR High School, and his co-planner, Danny Walsh, regularly infuse poetry into their classroom.

“Friday free writes are a weekly Do Now where a lot of kids will write and perform poems in my classes,” he said. “Song lyrics, too. I also will allow students to write poems at times, when an exit ticket calls for a paragraph.”

However, contests like Poetry Out Loud offer something different: a spotlight. A moment. A seat for others to witness the power of youth expression.

“This is a container for kids to express themselves,” said Hodes. “The gift of it is that the rest of us have seats in that container and get to watch them shine.”

And shine they did—through every draft, every stumble, every risk taken in front of an audience.

“Performance must feel genuine to the performer,” Hodes said. “It must tell a story, acting as a vessel for words on a page. It must take risks. Whether it lands them or not is irrelevant.”

What matters is that they showed up. That they spoke. That they breathed.

“I am so proud of these guys,” said Poetry Club President Selma Abdalla. “We have competed against each other but also have been very supportive of each other. Seeing my peers going and competing, I am so proud of them.”

She’s hopeful that others will join the community they’ve built. “I hope poetry club continues and that more people see how awesome this club is and that they join!”

Behind the scenes, more hands helped shape the space where these students grew. “There is a paraprofessional at our school, Isaac Curvin, who helps with our club,” said Hodes. “Any credit I receive, he also deserves.”

Together, they’ve created something lasting—a place where students learn not just how to write but how to speak. How to listen. How to exist fully in their own voices.

And sometimes, how to remember to breathe.