Poets in the Schools
Nevada Poets in the Schools (NVPITS) was modeled after California Poets in the Schools, a successful program for over fifty (50+) years. Our trained Teaching Artists enter classrooms, after-school programs, and community centers to help students find enthusiasm for writing, performance, & appreciation of poetry. They help students find the voice that is great within each of them.
Our programs encourage students to draft freely and often use music, theater, or visual art to spark creative writing. They practice writing and learning in respectful communities. Students who learn these skills benefit broadly in all academic disciplines. They become better writers in Science, History, and Math, as well as English.
Meet our Teaching Artists!
Ms. AyeVee
Ashley Vargas, also known by her stage name Ms. AyeVee, is an award-winning Afro-latina Literary Artist from Las Vegas, NV. She is a woman of many hats with a passion for Poetry. Her work has been featured by the legendary All Def Poetry, Write About Now & Button Poetry. She has been published by Bookleaf Publishing, The Red Rock Review, Zeitgeist-Press, Hardy Publications, Tolsun Books & Nevada State College. In 2020, Ms.AyeVee was recognized by NPR’s, Desert Companion Magazine for their annual “Ones to Watch” issue. Also in 2020, she founded an online poetry competition called, Beyond The Neon Poetry Slam, that has since grown into a poetry anthology series & poetry festival. In 2021 she was nominated for The Crystal Bookmark Award from the Las Vegas Book Festival for advancing the cause of literacy and extraordinary literary achievement. That same year, she received Special Congressional Recognition from NV Rep. Susie Lee for Outstanding Poetry. In 2022, Ms. AyeVee released her new collection of poetry entitled, Broken Silence.
Poetic V
“Poetic V” (Vanessa Williams) is a California raised, Las Vegas living Poet, teacher, spoken word artist and author. She has been teaching and mentoring children for over 10 years. Her passion is to inspire the world with her writings, ignite nations with her voice and illustrate the power of healing through writing. Poetic V has competed and won in the Beyond the Neon poetry Slam, Spotlight Poetry Slam and Spit your Truth Poetry competition as well as writing and publishing her first poetry book Poetically Affirmed. Poetic V has had the privilege of being a featured artist at in the Las Vegas Book Festival, Miss Nevada African Pageant, Utah Arts Festival, DWE World Tour in Austin Texas during SXSW and was speaker in Tedx Talk in October 2022. She uses her painful life experience to prove there is a purpose in it all!
Charlene Stegman Moskal
Charlene Stegman Moskal is a Teaching Artist for Las Vegas Poetry Promise. She is published in numerous anthologies, print and online magazines including: “TAB Journal”; “Calyx”, and “Humana Obscura”, “Dewdrop” and “Mac Q.” Her chapbooks are “One Bare Foot”, (Zeitgeist Press), “Leavings from My Table”, (Finishing Line Press) and “Woman Who Dyes Her Hair” (Kelsay Books) and a full-length poetry manuscript, “Running the Gamut” (Zeitgeist Press), Winter 2023.
Sin á Tes Souhaits
Sin á Tes Souhaits is a Black poet, cultural critic, and multi-media artist from East Las Vegas. Sin is the former Clark County Poet Laureate and the recipient of fellowships from Art For Justice, the Carol C. Harter, Beverly Rogers Black Mountain Institute, Believer Magazine, Los Angeles Review of Books, and others. His writing has been featured in the Sun, Believer, Gen Magazine, the Rumpus, Desert Companion, and others. His poems are also forthcoming in the anthology Like a Hammer Across the Page from Haymarket Books.
Sin is also the founder and director of ACI Creative, a media consulting firm that works with writers, artists, presses, and community projects. Previous clients have included McSweeney’s, Yale University Press, Cornell University Press, the City of Las Vegas, and others.
Solid Truth
Solid Truth, (Ida Marie Collins) is an award-winning poet with 17 years of experience as a performance artist who has curated, produced and hosted hundreds of spoken word poetry events, showcases, fundraisers, webinars and workshops, along with having appeared in numerous stage plays. As the founder of SOLID TRUTH LLC and Solid Truth Entertainment LLC, she enjoys being a Teaching Artist, nonprofit fundraising and is an advocate for Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Prevention. Her ultimate goal is to travel internationally as a Motivational Speaker and Empowerment Coach, uplifting and inspiring the world with her message to “Stay positive, focused, and motivated. Consistency leads to success. Build your goals and dreams on a solid foundation.”
Andrew Romanelli
A slot machine raised in a supermarket, Andrew Romanelli is a product of pneumonia, short buses, and the many institutions that failed to make him respectable. He has peeled potatoes, bussed tables, collected debts, hustled on wide boulevards; hawked shoes, cigarettes, delivered hair products and provides customer service for inmates across the country. He is an IWW member, community activist and a teaching artist. In facing the worst within us, he surrenders daily to the best-possible of us. He is boy who cannot be pulled away from the beauty inherent in the discarded.
SamRay
SamRay (Samantha Parker) is a fresh face to poetry, but growing up with the Strip as her backyard it’s no wonder this poet knows how to captivate a crowd. The multi-talented 26 year old has featured at places like Cork & Thorn and the Utah Arts Festival. Her poetry is truthful and raw, and she doesn’t shy away from heavy topics Whether it be acting, singing, or poetry, Sam is sure to tug at your heartstrings.
Elizabeth Allen Berry
Elizabeth Allen Berry is a multi-dimensional artist. On stage she combines her talents as a spoken word poet, literary artist, and classically trained violinist to bring an incredibly unique performance. She is the creator and founder of Cosmic Q Publishing. A micro press specializing in publishing limited edition zines for those, “queer as the cosmos”.
Petit Monstre
Petit Monstre (Ryan Alexander) is a local Las Vegas poet, photographer & teaching artist. He began his teaching journey with local literary nonprofit Poetry Promise Inc in 2022. Petit’s teaching residencies include work with the Clark County Library District, UNLV, Clark County School District, Safe Key and Clark County Public Arts. Petit also believes in the power of helping the community to express themselves, in unique and diverse ways through poetry and photography.
Bruce Isaacson, Curriculum Developer
Bruce Isaacson was the first Poet Laureate of Clark County, Nevada. He is also publisher of Zeitgeist Press, with one hundred sixteen titles to date. Bruce earned degrees at Claremont McKenna, Dartmouth, and Brooklyn College, where he submitted a thesis to noted American poet Allen Ginsberg. He is a founder of Poetry Promise, Inc. and has lived in Michoacan, Mexico, New York City, Los Angeles, Berkeley-San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Leningrad, Russia.