An Ottawa teen combines his love of technology and poetry to help other writers. His main outreach is to those who are well beyond his years.
Leonardo Chung, 17, said he started to take poetry seriously in 8th grade. Since then, many of the high school senior’s works have been published. He said he loves the craft because unlike other writing forms, there doesn’t have to be a formal structure or complicated rules.
“It's so flexible and open ended,” he added, “that's why it's my favorite genre to write.”
Chung said he lived in Illinois until second grade then he moved to Korea. When his family returned it was time for him to attend high school. He decided to go to Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. He took advanced computer science courses in 9th grade.
“I wanted to go somewhere that would provide me with so much more opportunity,” he said. “Ottawa, as you may know, is a very, very small town. So, the resources that are in Ottawa and that surrounding area are just, I couldn't, like expand on all my passions.”
Writing poetry and computer science are high on that list but he also prioritizes something else.
“The mental health of seniors," he said, "because there's so many seniors in these nursing homes that are completely neglected by their families. I mean, I went to a nursing home, and I would talk with some seniors whose families had not visited for like, 5 [or] 10, years, and that really hurt me.”
Chung said poetry can help elderly individuals rekindle memories and express their bottled-up emotions.
The teenager visited LaSalle County Nursing home when he was 16. He said at first the residents were reluctant to share.
Chung used his computer science knowledge and created an AI tool called Loving Words AI. This poetry tutor takes Chung’s published works and uses them as inspiration for writers. He presented this to the seniors. He said he asked them about family members or noteworthy events. Those prompts opened their creative blockage.
“I fed all these questions answered into my tutor, and it was able to pump out a poem," Chung explained. "And when I saw these reactions on these seniors, faces what they read out the poem, faces of joy. you know, faces of like tears in their eyes or just altogether, just so much emotion poured out of them.
He completed the computer science and poetry project when he was 16. He said most teenagers may not understand the loneliness some older adults experience. He said this tool is instrumental with helping with that, but it also can enhance the writing experience for others.
“A writer from like, any skill level," he said, "from not knowing how to write poetry at all to, like, an experienced, published poet, can use a machine and it'll still be useful.”
He also said he wants people to remember those who are not surrounded by family.
“Whether it be a relative or someone else, he said, “because we need to bring attention to the mental health of these seniors in nursing homes and make sure that they're able to essentially document their stories and release their emotions before you know, it may be too late.”
Chung is excited about the two poetry electives that he is taking his senior year. The first one focuses on the craft. He takes the second one in the spring. He said he’s excited about this one because it will help him create a writing portfolio.
Chung said he’s not sure what he will study once he graduates high school, but he is certain it will include writing.
