Nancy Kangas’s Preschool Poets Kickstarter Raises Over $15,000

“Nancy Kangas is one of those Columbus creatives that has been in my peripheral vision since, well, forever. Somewhere in my house—I am not a hoarder because books don’t count—I have a copy of this lovely mint green ’zine called Dirt that Kangas put out back in the day. I remember it came with a little baggie of soil stapled to the front. I’ve seen her at the library, guiding readers to their new favorite stories, and at poetry and writing events throughout the city. She always has a generous smile and a super cool cardigan.” From (614) Magazine’s December Feature on Nancy and her Preschool Poetry Program.

Nancy Kangas has officially funded one of the most inspiring and creative projects we’ve seen here in Columbus. One that has pre-school aged children tapping into their inner Robert Frost and writing profoundly beautiful poetry that will eventually be turned into animated shorts.

Examples of the work of the pre-schoolers — the envy of all Creative Writing Majors

“About seven years ago, I saw that Columbus Early Learning Centers, an organization that offers affordable access to high-quality early childhood education, was looking for an artist to work with their children. I couldn’t quite imagine how I’d make poems with preschoolers, but what I found is that although these children are just learning to form letters of the alphabet, they think, feel, and express themselves with intensity. In the classroom, I share songs and poems that offer patterns we can borrow or ways to start our own poems. We write about all the things that matter to us, and how we feel about the world. Their compositions – which they dictate to me – are often startling. ” Nancy wrote on the Kickstarter page, explaining her passion for the project.

While this victory is still fresh, having only funded the project a little under two weeks ago — there aren’t any signs of slowing down, especially with the long and arduous task of animating the poems.

To be a part of making The Preschool Poets: An Animated Film Series real, donations can be directed to Oakhouse Films site, oakhousefilms.com, or to Columbus Early Learning Centers, with a note that the funds are to go towards The Preschool Poets Film Project, columbusearlylearning.org.

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