Center for the Art of Translation to Honor Young Poets in
Fifth Annual Poetry Inside Out Student Reading

The Center for the Art of Translation is pleased to announce the Fifth Annual Poetry Inside Out (PIO) student reading, showcasing the work of more than two dozen young bilingual poets (grades 3-8) participating in the Center's innovative literary-arts project. The free event will be held on Saturday, April 30th from 2:00-3:30 pm at the Koret Auditorium, San Francisco Main Library, 100 Larkin Street.

An advance celebration of May's World in Translation Month, the program will highlight student readings of great poems in Spanish by writers such as Octavio Paz, Pablo Neruda and others, student translations of those poems, and performances of their own original poetry. Copies of the "Map of a Dream / Mapa de un Sueño" Best of PIO 2004 anthology will be available for sale.

The Center celebrates the success and creativity of the more than 1,000 children from around the Bay Area who participated in the PIO program this school year. "This event is inspiring because you can see how excited the kids are about poetry," says Olivia Sears, Founder and President of the Center. "These are elementary- and middle-school students who already have favorite Neruda poems that they like to recite--it's quite amazing."

PIO introduces students to poetry and translation and at the same time, improves core skills like reading comprehension and fluency. Kids are inspired to become caretakers of a great cultural and literary tradition they can proudly call their own. Poems from students in PIO's after-school program have won numerous awards, including the prestigious national River of Words competition, and the San Francisco Youth Arts Festival. Michael Ray, Director of PIO, says, "It's a joy to work with kids who are authentically engaged with language learning, who become confident writers and speakers over the course of a year. This recital is a fantastic opportunity for their families and the community to acknowledge their achievement."

Poetry Inside Out is a program of the Center for the Art of Translation, a non-profit organization promoting international literature and translation through programs in the arts, education, and community outreach. For more information about PIO or the Center, contact us at 415 512 8812.