words have power
We’re building on that.

Meet poemRENOVATION, an award-winning daily word challenge that’s changing things up for eldercare & academia. Here’s how it works.

TRY poemRENOVATION

Now Available:
poemRENOVATION Word Blocks!

Transform literary passages into hands-on, creative fun! Rearrange the word blocks to create something new: Craft a poem. Tell a story. Stir memories. Spark joy! Then flip the card to see how the original author used those same words.

Whether you’re…

  • An activities provider looking for meaningful new programming
  • An educator eager to ignite screen-free engagement
  • A caregiver seeking connection through creativity
  • A therapist in search of new tools to encourage self-expression
  • Someone hunting for the perfect gift for a word-lover
  • Or a creative soul craving something new…these word blocks are for you.

No screens. No rules. Just create!


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about

how
poemRENOVATION
works

Users are presented daily with a scrambled literature snippet. They choose words that resonate with them, then move them around on the digital canvas to create something new. There are no rules. The sole aim: to create.

features
  • Digital version &
    printed word blocks
  • Themed units
  • Opportunities to connect virtually and in person
  • Great for individual and group use

benefits
  • Sparks creativity
  • Quick & easy to use
  • Customizable
  • Fosters community
  • Boosts confidence
  • Aids social-emotional health
  • Builds vocabulary
  • Bolsters mental acuity
research

We’ve done our homework

poemRENOVATION has been beta tested in academic and continuing care settings with great success.

We’re a two-time Yale Innovation Summit winner. Let us show you why.

Piloted In United Church Homes Communities across Ohio

Student beta-testers

testimonials

What users are saying

“We have discovered that residents at every level of care can find joy with poemRENOVATION. Even residents living with memory impairment have engaged successfully and creatively with the program, stimulating new pathways and reopening memory connections once thought lost. We love poemRENOVATION and so do our residents.”

Rev. Dr. Kenneth Daniel

Rev. Dr. Kenneth Daniel

Former CEO, United Church Homes

We have discovered that residents at every level of care can find joy with poemRENOVATION. Even residents living with memory impairment have engaged successfully and creatively with the program, stimulating new pathways and reopening memory connections once thought lost. We love poemRENOVATION and so do our residents.

– Rev. Dr. Kenneth Daniel, Former CEO, United Church Homes
What I like most about poem RENOVATION is that it helps me get out any stress or feelings that I can't really say or show to anyone, not even my parents.

– middle school student
No rules. I like that. This is fun!

– Jennifer Washington, United Church Homes community member
I am totally in love with poem RENOVATION. It is becoming a habit that makes my days more centered, more thoughtful, more fun and more connected!

– Anna Hall, founder, The Purpose Equation
They talk about this afterwards. It goes farther than that moment. It’s not just something that passes the time.

– Rev. Patricia Vargas, Chaplain, United Church Homes Harmar Place Community, Marietta, Ohio
It empowered my students and it brought them to a place where they wanted to share what they made.

– Dena Marie de la Rocha, middle school teacher
I like it. It’s different than anything I’ve ever done before.

– Betty McLain community member, United Church Homes’ Harmar Place Community, Marietta, Ohio
I like how you can turn ordinary words into sentences that paint a picture in your brain.

– middle school student
The level of confidence that I saw grow in my students was amazing.

– Valerie Wadsworth, middle school teacher
poemRENOVATION blog

News & Events

Coming soon: Poem Pals!

Coming soon: Poem Pals!

QUESTION: If 304 students from 12 sixth grade classes take the same 48 words, rearrange them,  then share their creationswith their cross-country counterparts, what do you get?  ANSWER: Poem Pals!  In March, we’ll kick off a cross-country collaboration between...

What inspired all of this?

What inspired all of this?

Anger For an Unbalanced Oven Rack is the first poem I ever wrote. I was 17 and my parents were divorcing. Laying my confusion and sorrow down on paper helped me heal.  During the pandemic, I began searching for new meaning in my Oven Rack poem. Eager to see if I could...

poem RENOVATION in the news

poem RENOVATION in the news

WMHT TV New York Now interview: Poem Renovation: A Game-Changing Approach to Teaching Poetry  WAMC Northeast Public Radio interview (Interview begins at the 7:30 mark in the recording): #1690: Poetry and a Spelling Bee | The Best of Our Knowledge | WAMC Times...

workshops

Speaking
Engagements

Spark creativity and connection with an interactive online or in-person workshop facilitated by poemRENOVATION’s founder, Kelly de la Rocha.

Workshops can be customized for:
  • Students, grades 5 and up
  • Continuing Care Community Members
  • Teachers
  • Activities Directors
  • Community Groups
  • Corporate Team-Building
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contact us

Get in Touch


norulesjustcreate