As those who have volunteered at Shortridge can attest, the student performances that punctuate each Exclusive Ink session are often the most gratifying and entertaining part of our Tuesdays and Thursdays. Due to the miracle of modern technology and the generosity of our donors, the day has come that we are able to share these performances on this blog, in full HD and high-quality sound.

Our writing prompt on Tuesday asked students to look through the eyes of someone they see in the community, to imagine the life of a person they’ve only observed in passing. Paula envisioned what it would be like to be one of the latchkey playground kids for her poem, “Sleeping in the Slide Tunnel.”

Landan went his own way and wrote about a difficult and intense relationship. The result was “No Love Lost.”

With his usual verbal dexterity, Eric chronicled the life of a homeless man from his block with the poem, “The Box.”

Again, we’re so happy to have the capacity to share some of our favorite performances from Shortridge. Look for even more videos in the coming weeks.