Kayla Petro

JRNM 151 Student

The Lorain Writer’s Society at Lorain County Community College hosted their annual “Pizza, Pop & Poetry” event on April 18. Students and faculty gathered in the lobby of the Culinary Building for the celebration of National Poetry Month, which takes place in April.

Bruce Weigl, a distinguished professor of humanities at LCCC, and a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, is a strong believer in the written word.

“Poetry is a rare opportunity to tell the truth even when the truth is not pretty,” Weigl said.

Many of Weigl’s students joined him in the audience, where he encouraged them to read their work aloud.

Among the participants was one of Weigl’s students, Brittany Miller, who shared one of her poems with the audience. She credits Weigl’s teaching for her new writing hobby.

“I used to hate it,” Miller said. “He really opened my mindset and writing became easier,” she explained.

Several other students, including Jayden Catalado, president of the Lorain Writers Society, also recited a few of her favorite poems.

“This whole poetry event is about the celebration of the word,” Catalado said.

The support has been welcome, and there are still high hopes for students, according to Weigl.

“I’ve been gratified by the response,” Weigl said. “I’d like to reach out to the students who were not here. Even if you don’t want to be a writer, there’s more to learn; discipline, critical thinking, and passion.”