WASHINGTON -- David Xiang, 17, of Little Rock read his poetry in public for the first time Thursday, debuting at the White House ceremony naming him a 2015 National Student Poet.
"It was a bit daunting at first," he said afterward. "It was a big first step. It was pretty magical and pretty amazing."
Xiang, a Little Rock Central High School senior, and four other high school students were recognized by first lady Michelle Obama and the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in a Blue Room ceremony that included a reading from each student.
"It takes a level of bravery to be that vulnerable, to stand up in this room -- this historic place with these lights and cameras -- and share something so personal and precious," Obama told the students. "But that is also the beauty of poetry: how it helps you take all those complex and confusing thoughts and emotions and put them into words."
Scholastic Art and Writing Award winners are eligible to submit a portfolio for the program that is reviewed by a panel of some of the country's top poets, writers and actors. There were more than 20,000 submissions this year for the 4-year-old honor, Obama said.
Xiang said he included poems about himself and about his perspective attending the historic school. He read a poem titled "Duet" at the ceremony. Another he wrote about the Little Rock Nine, titled "A Tale of Four Statues: Ambition, Personality, Opportunity and Preparation" was included in the event's printed program.
"I started writing my freshman year as just sort of like a release, just to express whatever I want and have no fears about what I write, and poetry has helped me become comfortable with who I am," Xiang said. "It's just helped me grow so much."
His writing has been published in several literary journals.
Author and poet Jacqueline Woodson told the five students that somewhere in their lives they made the choice not to be silent, and not everyone is so lucky.
"Yours is the voice young people need to hear," she said. "Find the ones who deeply believe they didn't have this choice. Go be their mirrors."
As National Student Poets, the teens are expected to complete a service project that brings poetry to people who may not traditionally use it. The students also attend workshops and other events across the country, including a forum today at the Academy of American Poets in New York City.
Xiang said his project will likely focus on helping veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder express themselves through poetry or using images and video to connect young students with poetry.
"I feel like poetry might have that healing power," he said.
Xiang is the son of Dr. Zhifu Xiang and Hongju Deng of Little Rock. He said he hasn't decided what to study in college.
"I definitely want to keep writing and poetry will be a part of that," Xiang said.
Metro on 10/09/2015