Hi, I am Isabelle Cox-Garleanu
510-219-9389 scgisabelle@gmail.com
"On behalf of YoungArts, I am pleased to send that Izzy demonstrates outstanding artistic achievement in the literary arts. She is a very accomplished young individual to watch."
--- Lauren Slone, Vice President, The National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists
"I absolutely loved seeing Izzy host a workshop for our girls at Girl PowHer, teaching them how to use poetry to heal. She connected with them on such a deep level, empowered them, and showed them how to pour their hearts out through words. She is truly an inspiration and a sweetheart."
---- Reann Hines, Founder and Director, Behind It All Foundation
"Isabelle's workshops were inspiring! Her bubbly and warm demeanor guided my students and really helped them come out of their shells to find their creativity. Their poems and presentations were amazing, as a result! Thank you, Isabelle!"
– Nova Walton, Sisterhood Program Director
"No one can do it like Izzy. It has to be her [leading the workshops]. Izzy makes poetry fun, and to be honest it's never something that I ever thought was fun. Our monthly workshops are the best, and I am always excited for them. She's the funnest teacher ever."
–– 7th grade student at KAIROS Academies STL
My name is Isabelle Cox-Garleanu, or Izzy. I have always loved words, poetry, and language. Born to a Romanian father and Japanese mother, languages have played a big part in my home life. Ever since a young age,
I wrote all the time. Every day. Because writing, especially poetry, is my passion.
Poetry as positive change rather than a mere hobby never occurred to me until I moved to St. Louis. Living in St. Louis and constantly driving around the area, I quickly saw the stark disparities in the education system. So, I started researching—deeply. I investigated where these inequalities existed and what efforts were being made to address them. I reached out to local nonprofits, spoke with their leaders, and realized one thing: no one is doing what Pen Power Poetry does now – free in-person poetry workshops.
In my workshops, I focus on making writing fun and approachable.
I sit down with participants, start conversations, and ask them as many questions as I can to drive their creativity.
My goal is to show them that possibilities are within their grasp. Poetry gives them a voice—a way to express themselves—and that self-expression can lead to new paths, or at least help them see that those paths exist.
Some of the most powerful moments I’ve experienced in these workshops start with students saying, “I can’t write. I’m not good at it.”
Hearing that lights a fire in me.
Through encouragement and creativity, I try to help them see that writing isn’t about perfection. It's about expression, about finding their own voice.
I absolutely love working with kids! Whether it's teaching them new skills or inspiring them to explore new ideas, spending time with them brings me so much joy.
This year, I had the incredible opportunity to meet my favorite poet, Mary Jo Bang, multiple times! She is an amazing source of inspiration for my writing.
I have a deep passion for public speaking and love sharing my enthusiasm with others through engaging talks. Every aspect of my nonprofit holds a special place in my heart.
I am in love with every aspect of my nonprofit—creating lesson plans, speaking with principals, teachers, organization leaders, and most importantly, facilitating the workshops. I’ve shared countless memorable moments with children, adults, and teens, witnessing the spark in their eyes as they discover the joy of writing down their ideas. Many of them at first have told me that they “can’t write” because they believe they are “bad” at it. In my opinion, Pen Power Poetry’s most powerful impact has been showing them that they are capable. Always capable of trying. Capable of growth, of learning, and of having a blast doing so. During each workshop, I see individuals’ confidence blossom as I encourage them to realize that the most powerful writing just has to come from the heart.
Why can I trust Izzy as a workshop host?
Awards
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International Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition 2024’s Pathos Prize for Best Writing (1 recipient out of 4,200+)
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National YoungArts Awards for Spoken Word and Writing 2024 and 2025 (top 7% of 9,000)
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International 2024 Bridport Prize for Poetry shortlist (top 3% of several thousands)
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National 2024 1st Place French American Cultural Society Junior Division Poetry Contest
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International 2024 Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest Poetry & Spoken Word Distinguished Honorable Mention (out of 5,200+)
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Missouri Scholars Academy (free enrichment program for top 0.5% of Missouri 11th graders)’s Spoken Word Writing Course graduate 2024
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Regional Scholastic Arts and Writing Missouri gold keys 2023 and 2024
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2022 Local 2nd Place Winner Wednesday Club of St. Louis, judged by poet Denise Duhamel