If Scott Wolfenden can transport a fourth grade student from a Newark classroom to ancient Shanghai's Yuyuan Gardens and back again before the end of class, it is a productive day. If that same student writes a 25-stanza poem about the experience, Wolfenden delivered a lesson that will linger long after the class is dismissed.

"There are some inner city schools that breathe poetry," noted Wolfenden, a Newark, N.J., elementary school teacher. "You walk into the front door and it's like walking into a verse." The 2008 Thomas Edison State College BA Degree in Social Sciences recipient has recently published a compilation of poems: Dawn of a New Discovery: Inspiring World Poems that harvests this creative force.

Dawn of a New Discovery is a collaborative effort between Wolfenden and his former Thomas Edison State College mentor, Dr. Jane Statlander. "In today's highly-charged musical world, poetic expression can be an essential part of life," he noted. "And some of the most gifted poets can be found among the youth in inner city schools such as in Newark."

The book succeeds in helping young urban poets cultivate their creative power and offers instruction on tackling one of the most structured, if not condensed, forms of written expression.

It came as no surprise to Wolfenden and Statlander that the results were often lyrical and rhythmic slices of brilliance.

"If a young person can learn to brainstorm and continue to refine their drafts, they will see positive results. By conveying the steps to the process, we can help them overcome their fear of creative writing," he said. "So many young people, especially children, come up with great poetry with a minimal amount of coaching."

It was Wolfenden's own educational pursuits that inspired Dawn of a New Discovery. "I took the poetry course as the first course at Thomas Edison State College because it was of the most interest to me," he noted. "My poetry course mentor, Dr. Statlander, helped me in developing my work because she was already a published author and poet."

Toward the conclusion of Wolfenden's BA degree pursuit, it was Statlander who encouraged his endeavor when she helped by editing and reviewing his material and contributing to the book's forward as well as including one of her own poems.

"I found that the mentors at Thomas Edison State College were more demanding than I had expected," he explained. "They were thorough and always pushed you, and almost never accepted first attempts. They never let you slide through. I emerged from that as a capable writer and the experience helped me to grow."

Wolfenden, whose pen name is John Scott, hopes this collection will inspire interest in writing and reading poetry. The book includes the work of budding urban poets but weaves in examples of world poetry, Longfellow, Blake, Whitman, Dickenson, Keats, Japanese Haiku and the poetry of children in World War II concentration camps, so that young readers are exposed to composition and structure along with a heady mix of styles and perspectives. 

A native of Jersey City, Wolfenden now lives in the Ironbound section of Newark, N.J., with his wife and writing collaborator, Maria Flores, a native of Rio De Janeiro, who substitute teaches and works for Wachovia Bank.

When he is not teaching, Wolfenden enjoys oil and acrylic painting. "I am active in mental health advocacy and am part of the Association for Youth, Children and Natural Psychology. I am also a member of my local chapter of the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI)."

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