Alexander has become a familiar face in Chautauqua County, recently serving as the Michael I. Rudell Artistic Director of Literary Arts and inaugural Writer-in-Residence at Chautauqua Institution. He is also set to serve as the African American Heritage House at Chautauqua’s inaugural Distinguished Fellow in 2026.

During his visit, Alexander engaged students through a dynamic presentation that blended poetry, storytelling, and personal reflection. Known for his energetic style, Alexander performed original works and encouraged students to find confidence in their own voices.

“(The students) weren’t just sitting quietly — they were laughing, reacting, and asking really thoughtful questions,” said Dr. Faith Graham, an ENL teacher at JHS. “I think it meant a lot to see an author make poetry feel so real and approachable.”

“He spoke to students about the importance of having a strong work ethic, seeing projects through no matter what, and being open to constructive criticism to improve upon yourself in order to achieve your goals,” said JHS English teacher Rachel Anderson.

Distinguished young adult author Kwame Alexander shows off his Emmy to students at Jamestown High School during his visit to speak to English classes in February.

Throughout the session, Alexander shared his journey as a writer — from publishing books to adapting his work for the screen, including the hit Disney+ series The Crossover. On The Crossover, which several JHS English classes will read this spring, Alexander spoke about the difficulty in getting his book published.

“He took everyone of those ‘Nos’ to heart to work harder to achieve his dream. Those ‘nos’ forced him to go back to his writing to revise it and make it better,” Anderson added. “After being rejected so many times, he ended up self-publishing his verse novel since no one else would capitalize on his work. He stressed to the students the importance of taking those ‘no’ reactions and turning them into motivation to keep going to get that ‘yes.'”

Students also had the chance to interact directly with Alexander, with several stepping forward to share their own original poetry. The visit provided a rare opportunity for students to receive feedback and encouragement from an internationally recognized author.

Graham and Anderson said the visit created a meaningful and memorable experience for students, offering both inspiration and a deeper connection to the power of writing.

“I hope they walked away realizing that their voices and stories matter, and that poetry isn’t something intimidating — it’s something they can actually enjoy and create themselves,” Graham added. “I also loved how clear he was about one simple but powerful rule: if you want to write, you must read more.”

“Alexander was easily able to captivate every student and adult in that room,” Anderson said. “It was an amazing experience to have so many people invested in what he was going to share next. The audience experienced the emotional journey of every rejection and success he shared with us, and I hope students take away the notion that anything worth earning and celebrating , achieving their goals and dreams, takes grit on their end.”