'Futurations' poetry anthology >>

The Showcase of the BUZZ programme in Drumachose Primary School in Limavady (which had lasted eight weeks) took place on Tuesday 29th June ‘04. The 2 large P7 classes (P7C & P7K) first met with Burnfoot Primary School’s P7 at Roe Valley Leisure Centre for a day of games, drug-related activities with Niall Blee of FIX-IT and a presentation on Drug Facts and Legislation by the PSNI in Limavady. They then began work on a variety of arts-based activities from drama to creative writing.

As their major showcase project, they decided to produce an illustrated poetry anthology which they titled, “FUTURATIONS”. This book has provided an outlet for their wide and varied range of creative talents from illustration in the form of painting, drawing and photography to creative writing in the form of poetry.

The overall theme of the poetry is that the young people had to ‘project’ themselves into the mind of a much older adult who is looking back on their life and reflecting on how drugs and alcohol have had an extremely detrimental effect by destroying their relationships, their potential, their livelihood, in fact, destroying what their life could have been. Remember that these young people are in Primary 7 therefore this anthology is surprisingly mature as, at this age, any concept of the future is normally limited as young people tend to live for the moment. This exercise encouraged a sense of responsibility in shaping their own futures and I am sure, as you read on, you will agree that it illustrates a precocious understanding of the detrimental effect that the abuse of drugs and alcohol can have.

Drumachose Autumn term 2004 >>