Senior Elyssa James has found her passion and purpose as the president of the Pompapoets, our school’s poetry club. She finds this position to be very rewarding. “Seeing everyone’s reaction to other poetry and seeing them proud and confident in their writing voices and work is the greatest thing,” she said.

James has been a member of Pompapoets for three years, since her sophomore year. When the club’s previous president recommended that she take on an officer position, she was initially scared of taking on the role, since it was a big responsibility. Fortunately, by her junior year, she was able to gain enough confidence to run for president, winning with a unanimous vote. Under her leadership, she was able to elevate the club with “more activities, writing workshops, and performance games,” she said

As president, James’s responsibilities include organizing all meetings before the members arrive and planning ahead with her vice president on activities and competitions. Furthermore, a significant part of the club’s activity involves competing in Louder Than A Bomb Florida (LTABFLA), requiring James to ensure members allocate enough time to prepare and practice. Although her responsibilities as president take a lot of time and effort, it is never a waste. “All our hard work is worth it when we hit the stage,” she said.

The club was established long before James arrived; however, the club’s mission remains the same, “to create a space where everyone can write to their heart’s content and have a place to share comfortably.”