“I am lightning.

My brother is thunder,

My sister is rain.

I am a symbol of speed, of power, of pain.”

This poem was not written by Keats, Frost or Shakespeare.

It was written by a student named Jordan, who attends Montevallo Middle School.

Shelby County Arts Council from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

With the help of Shelby County Arts Council, Jordan and 150 students like him found ways to express themselves through poetry. They explored relevant topics such as family, dreams and self-concept. And they might have gained self-esteem and improved their grammar skills along the way.

“They’re better learners,” said Bruce Andrews, executive director of the Shelby County Arts Council. “They’ve got creative writing skills that will last a lifetime.”

Likewise, the executive director of the Alabama Writer’s Forum Jeanie Thompson praised the program, saying, “This age group – sixth, seventh and eight (graders) – they are craving a way to say something.”

Spring marked the fifth year for the Shelby County Arts Council’s Writing Our Stories program.

This past spring marked the fifth year for the Shelby County Arts Council’s Writing Our Stories program. Presented in partnership with Alabama Writer’s Forum, the 10-week program reached 150 students from Montevallo Middle School and Columbiana Middle School. The students enjoyed creative writing instruction from published authors.

Writing Our Stories aims to decrease bullying by offering students creative writing as a means for self-expression and a way to relate to one another. This was the first year that Writing Our Stories was offered to students at Montevallo Middle School.

The program’s expansion was funded by an Alabama Power Foundation Elevate grant.

At the end of the 10 weeks, students read their compositions aloud for friends and family.

The mission of the Shelby County Arts Council is to support, nurture and promote cultural opportunities and promote economic growth and tourism. For more information, visit www.shelbycountyartscouncil.com.

Alabama Power Foundation’s Elevate grants fund unique, replicable community projects. Applications for the 2015-2016 grants will be accepted through Aug. 14. To learn more or access the online application, visit www.powerofgood.com.