'WILD MAN' OF BOWMAN BIDS ADIEU TEACHER SHARES PRIDE THROUGH POETRY.

Byline: CONNIE LLANOS 

Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA -- His nicknames include "the wild man," "the bald man," "the great man."

While Richard Weekley's students might not agree on what to call the 40-year veteran teacher, they do see eye to eye on one thing.

He's the best teacher they've ever had.

"The bald man came from another planet and taught me how to sing," said Cesar Garcia, a former student of Weekley's, as he read his poem at Bowman High School's 15th annual Day of the Poet and Artist.

Weekley has been the creative-writing teacher at Hart Union High School Distict's continuation high school campus for the past 15 years. Friday marked his last Day of the Poet and Artist before his retirement in June. Each year his students' original poems are combined in an anthology and the teens read their works.

Like Garcia, who graduated from Bowman last year, many students at the continuation school have been removed from traditional campuses or were at risk of dropping out.

"I used to ditch school a lot," Garcia admitted in a phone interview. "I didn't find my classes interesting or the experience personal."

Before Weekley, Garcia said, he didn't really understand poetry. Now, he says, he communicates better through verse and is hoping to become a creative-writing teacher himself -- just like his mentor.

"He is so unpredictable, a goofy old man. He'll jump out at you and keep you on your toes, but at the same time make you feel safer than you've felt anywhere else," Garcia said.

Ajha Brown Simmons, a senior at Bowman, was home-schooled during her first three years of high school. The softspoken teen says Weekley's energy and passion for writing have helped her break free of her shell.

"Before him, I could have never gotten up in front of an audience like this," Simmons said.

It is his unconventional way that fellow teachers say makes Weekley so special -- and a perfect match for the students at Bowman.

"He symbolizes the basic nature of this school because he marches to the beat of his own drum, but at the same time he gets everyone to follow him on the right path," said Mike Nugent, Bowman's work-experience teacher.

Weekley, who spent 24 years at Hart High School before moving to Bowman High, is an internationally published poet and editor of a literary magazine.

Raoul Hurd was never a student of Weekley's. But the 80-year-old poet credits Weekley with teaching him the life lesson that it's never too late to start a career as a poet.

Two years ago, Weekley published a book of Hurd's poems.

"He deserves immense credit," Hurd said. "He has turned so many lives around."

Hurd has been attending Weekley's Day of the Poet festivals for a number of years.

Hurd, a former French teacher at Hart High, said the day for him is always "energizing and inspiring."

"Weekley takes these kids -- that have been out of sync -- and gives them pride through their poetry," Hurd said.

As Weekley handed out programs to the audience Friday of his "swan song" poetry day, he said the fact that this was the last such event he would be organizing hadn't hit him yet.

"I am just living in the moment," Weekley said.

But as he introduced the writers to the audience -- sporting a tie made of yellow police tape because poets tend to "throw caution to the wind" -- he couldn't help waxing poetic.

"Teaching creative writing is like being at a buffet where no two flavors are the same," Weekley said.

Every year, he titles his students' poetry anthology with a word or phrase that stands out. This year, he let his own emotions carry him and titled it "WOW!"

"I cannot tell you how many lines, or verses or even words, throughout the years have made me say wow!" he said. "This has been an amazing journey."

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4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Retiring Bowman High School creative-writing teacher Richard Weekley signs a "Wow!" anthology for student Talia Latham on Friday.

(2 -- 3) Friday marked Richard Weekley's last Day of the Poet and Artist at Bowman High School. The creative-writing teacher has been at Bowman for the past 15 years but is retiring in June. Each year his students' best original poetry is combined in an anthology; students then read their works aloud for the festival. Other artwork by the students is put on display on campus.

(4) Bowman High student Kelli Miller recites her poem at the annual art and poetry day at the continuation high school.

David Crane/Staff Photographer