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MANVILLE: Kids’ art, poetry hits the rue

   Students and staff turned the Alexander Batcho Intermediate School into a Paris street scene March 19 in celebration March as Youth Art Month.
   The creative thinking and artistic skills of students in grades 6 through 8 were on display at a reception in the school library media center. In the cafeteria, students participated in their annual Poetry Slam. In the hallways, visitors were invited to sample finger foods identified by their French names.
   More than 130 pieces of student artwork was viewed by an estimated 300 family, friends, town representatives, district administrators and students.
   The French-themed festival was called Célébration de l’art à Paris (Celebrating Art in Paris).
  "We came up with a French theme to involve the new French class, started at ABIS this year and taught by Sue Calamoneri,” said Jennifer Kohl, visual arts teacher and Art Club advisor.
   Art students turned the first floor of ABIS into a Paris street scene, complete with museum, bistro and sidewalk cafe. Two ABIS students acted as Paris street musicians as students, friends, and family entered. Later, the ABIS Chorus performed, and the Language Arts/Literacy Department had many students participating in a dramatic poetry slam in a bistro setting.
”Poetry Slam is a fantastic way for our students to practice creativity and performance of poetry. Students are encouraged to perform original pieces and some incorporated technology with their digital photo stories,” said Leslie Lapotasky, language arts teacher and Poetry Slam coordinator.
   Language arts teacher Maggie Balzano said, “A poetry slam is a competitive art of performance poetry. It places a combined emphasis on writing and performance. The poets focus on what they are saying and how they are saying it. Years ago, poetry slamming was a non-violent way to send a message out to the public and to gather a following.”