The Grade 12 Creative Writing class at Ucluelet Secondary School, led by teacher Heather Hendry, recently completed a poetry and photography project rooted in local place and community. Students wrote original poems in response to nature photography by longtime Ucluelet resident Mary Christmas, whose work captures the raw beauty of the West Coast landscape.
Mary’s images of diverse wildlife became creative starting points for the students. Their poems reflect a range of voices and perspectives, shaped by both personal experience and a deep connection to the land. The result is a collection that speaks to the relationships between nature, art, and the written word. The project also features a poem by Whiskey, a close friend of Mary Christmas.
Printing and publication were made possible with support from the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT), whose sponsorship allowed the students’ work to be professionally published.
