Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Winter 2008 | Page 8

www.thorntonacademy.org

Poet Develops a Love of
Language Among Students
Getting a group of teenagers
for as many years as they attend
interested in reading and writing
Thornton.
poetry may seem a difficult task.
“The poems he chooses to read
But Martin Steingesser makes it
are really interesting, and he always
seem easy: He introduces young
finds a way to get people involved,”
people to verse and self-reflection
says Madelyn Kearns ‘08. “You never
with gusto, often by performing
feel like someone is going to laugh
pieces to give them life and added
or judge you. Even if what someone
meaning.
brings in is not a finished piece,
For 11 years now, Steingesser—
that’s OK.”
who was recently named a Maine
Paige Meserve ’10 says she
poet laureate by the city of
appreciates the self-directed nature
Portland—has inspired Thornton
of the class and the comfortable
Academy students to get into the
environment Steingesser creates. “I
arts. Young alumni may remember
like being able to just sit and reflect
him for playing an alto recorder
and explore my thoughts,” she
in class as much as for the poetry
explains.
lessons. But his easy-going nature,
Perhaps another reason
his respect for all writers and his
teenagers connect with Steingesser
knack for building trust among
is his modesty and an insistence
students is what has made him a
that, when it comes to judging
unique presence on campus.
aesthetics, there is no black and
Steingesser says his goal as
white. He’ll read one of his own
a teacher is to engage student
poems while in its infancy and
writers and make sure everyone
he’s open about the challenges of
is “present,” or able to listen and
editing. And while giving advice
participate. He points out grammar
about how to further develop a
and spelling errors in students’
piece, he might point out that
work, to be sure, but he’s more
his view is hardly the only one,
concerned with the possibilities of
providing students a chance to voice
language, where the poetry is, to
their opinions as well.
help improve writing.
“I always feel like we can learn
“Sometimes students will write
from each other,” Steingesser says.
and share four or five poems in
The budding writers also
a class, and sometimes it can be
explore issues like self-doubt, which
awfully quiet,”
comes to many
he says. “That
putting words
quiet, I don’tto a page, and
know-what-to-dothe emotional
space is very rich,
benefits of
not infrequently
expressing one’s
uncomfortable,
thoughts. It’s
even scary, for
an environment
the writer as well
where students
as the teacher.
feel free to bring
Learning not to
their frustrations
run from it, to
about life,
stay in this rich,
whether it’s why
uncomfortable
they prefer cats
place is an
to dogs or why
Photo by Jennifer Hass
ongoing
they’re angry
challenge in all
with a family
Martin Steingesser is well known
creative work.”
member. And
for his poetry performances, and
Still there is a
there is ongoing
he often recites pieces by memorough curriculum
discussion about
ry in his class at TA.
Steingesser
how to observe
follows each
the world around
week—with in-class reading,
them and how language impacts
writing prompts and reading
their life experience.
recommendations.
Steingesser makes material more
“I try to honor what they want
accessible through his classroom
to do and give them suggestions,
performances. Students are exposed
not corrections, about their work,”
in this way to writers like Edna St.
Steingesser adds. “I’m grateful they
Vincent Millay and William Carlos
choose to trust me, as well as each
Williams as well as local poets and
other, and—maybe most difficult—
even some written by alumni of the
themselves, giving themselves to
class.
this medium we call poetry, which
He delivers memorized poems
demands integrity. That is, the
as if from a stage and insists that
poem wants us, the best and most
the poem must feel a part of him to
real voice we have. I am continually
be relayed effectively.
delighted by their responses and
To learn more about Steingesser
cherish many of the poems of our
or to read a few of his poems online,
time together.”
go to www.martinsteingesser.com,
Students seem passionate about
or the New England Foundation
having the opportunity to work
for the Arts web site, www.
in a classroom environment with
matchbook.org. His book, “Brothers
Steingesser, especially those drawn
of Morning,” is available at local
to writing. As much is clear by the
bookstores throughout Maine, such
number of visitors who drop in
as Longfellow Books, Books ETC and
each week and by the fact that some Nonesuch Books, as well as from
choose to take the pass-fail course
online booksellers.



10 Years of Gift
Giving at TA

Photo by Jennifer Hass

Kim LeClair ’09 was among the Student Council members who
helped organize this year’s Wrap Party.

Students, faculty, staff participate
in TA’s annual holiday project
In what has become a decade-long tradition, Thornton
Academy students in grades
6-12 joined in the spirit of
the season by helping local
families have a more joyful
holiday season.
A large assembly of
students congregated in the
Dining Commons on Dec. 16,
and though it was a chaotic
time, all enjoyed the 10th
annual “wrap party.” Middle
School and High School
students alike prepared gifts
for TA’s Christmas Family
program. Picking out just the
right bow and wrapping paper, everyone got toys, clothing, and stocking stuffers
ready for local families in
need. Students also filled
stockings with treats and

more gifts.
The Christmas Family program is organized by
the Student Council, and the
Salvation Army distributes the
presents. Each class at Thornton supports two families
by donating gifts. Staff and
faculty members support the
effort as well by assisting with
donations.
About 80 to 100 total
students participate annually
in the event. It takes about a
month to organize, as the TA
community works to fulfill gift
requests, wrap gits and deliver the items.
This December, eleven
families and a total of 40 children received gifts F