wits report - Literary Arts

2014 WITS
2015 REPORT
Above: Grant High School student MothSHOP storytellers with Moth producers.
Inspiring the next generation
of readers and writers
Youth programming at Literary Arts inspires public high school students to write,
revise, edit, publish, and perform their own writing through:
• Semester-long creative writing residencies (see page 4)
• MothSHOP storytelling workshop (see page 5)
• Student publication in print and digital chapbooks (see page 6)
• Students to the Schnitz program (see page 7)
• College Essay Mentoring project (see page 10)
• Verselandia! city-wide youth poetry slam (see page 11)
Public high school principals, teachers, and librarians throughout Multnomah County
partner with Writers in the Schools (WITS) because they believe the program:
• Contributes to student achievement in reading and writing
• Inspires students to become more enthusiastic writers
• Teaches students new tools for becoming stronger writers
• Helps build community around literature
2
A SNAPSHOT
11
11
Public High Schools
participated in semesterlong residencies taught by
professional writers
School Librarians held
poetry slams at their schools
to prepare for Verselandia!
300
112
were mentored by community
members at college essay writing
tutorials held at Benson, Franklin,
Madison, and Roosevelt High Schools
attended
Verselandia!
42
35
24
Classes worked
with a writer
Teachers learned new
strategies to teach writing
Local Writers shared their
expertise with youth
19
participated in
the Verselandia!
poetry slam
312
attended WITS
student readings
1,049
35
attended slam poetry
classes at Literary Arts
986
participated in
semester-long
residencies
3,600
students
served
attended an author
event at the Arlene
Schnitzer Concert Hall
9
were mentored
individually and
in small groups by
writers
8
students performed in
The MothSHOP at
Grant High School
180
students attended The
MothSHOP event at
Grant High School
639
participated in author
visits to schools
3
RESIDENCIES
WITS RESIDENCIES
Residencies are creative writing workshops tailored to meet the unique needs
of each teacher and class.
The core of the WITS program is semester-long residencies taught
by local professional poets, playwrights, graphic novelists, and
fiction and non-fiction writers who model and share their disciplined
creative writing practices with high school students. Each residency is
uniquely designed to support, deepen, and extend existing curriculum.
Students become stronger, more confident, and more enthusiastic
writers by learning new strategies for starting, sustaining, and revising
their writing projects. WITS programming reinforces the real world
importance of reading and writing in all professions and is designed to
meet state and national standards for the arts and language arts.
WITS provides professional development for teachers. 20 of
the 35 teachers served by WITS this year had already hosted a writer
in the past, demonstrating their confidence in and enthusiasm for the
WITS program.
WITS served 15 new-to-WITS teachers, demonstrating our
commitment to reach new teachers each year.
WITS hired 24 writers: 18 returning writers to maintain program
stability and 6 new writers to add diversity to our roster in terms of
race, ethnicity, genre, and aesthetic.
1,049 students participated in semester-long residencies.
Above: A writing activity from poet Melissa Reeser Poulin’s residency at Metropolitan Learning Center.
4
“
Students learned
how crucial it is
to meet deadlines;
they could see the
connection between
the creative process
and an end goal.
— AMY AMBROSIO,
TEACHER,
”
ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT READINGS
WITS STUDENT READINGS
At the end of each residency, students share their work with their
communities through public readings.
Sharing your poetry, plays, fiction, and comics with friends,
family, and community members is a great way
to grow as a writer.
WITS coordinated 15 student readings at local cafes,
bookstores, galleries, and restaurants: 12 individual school
readings as well as readings at Powell’s City of Books, the
WITS Fundraiser held at Bluehour, and the Poetry in Motion
relaunch ceremony. A total of 208 students shared their
work with a total audience of 794.
High School Storytelling
The Moth, a nonprofit storytelling troupe
from New York, went to Grant High
School for a week-long MothSHOP
seminar with eight student storytellers.
After working with professional directors
all week, the students performed their
personal stories for 180 of their
classmates.
Our Community Partners Hosted WITS Readings:
Annie Bloom’s Books, BiPartisan Cafe, Bluehour Restaurant,
Broadway Books, Café au Play, Cathedral Coffee, Independent
Publishing Resource Center, Miss Zumstein Bakery & Coffee
Shop, Origin’s Coffee, Portland Art Museum, Powell’s Books
Below: A student shares his work at the Franklin High School reading at Café au Play.
“
Sharing your work is a very important part of
the process of making it the best.
—STUDENT, WILSON HIGH SCHOOL
”
5
PUBLISHING STUDENTS
WITS STUDENT ANTHOLOGY
& CHAPBOOKS
Being published is thrilling for writers of any age. Publication
provides writers with validation, encouragement, and
exposure to a larger audience.
Check out
our chapbooks at
Literary-Arts.org/
What-We-Do/WITS
Each year, WITS publishes a print anthology and digital
chapbooks of exemplary student work created through
our residency program. The 2013/2014 WITS anthology,
Language Made of Trees, features the work of 65 students.
WITS also published two digital chapbooks featuring the work
of 74 additional students. Visit our website to download the
chapbooks for free or purchase the anthology for just $10
at literary-arts.org/what-we-do/wits.
Students honored
Editors from The Oregonian, Glimmer Train, Burnside Review, and
Tin House honored students by selecting their favorite pieces
from the print anthology and awarding prizes for
poetry and prose.
work
65 students’
featured
What students have to say about the Writers in the Schools residency program:
“
”
I have literary potential.
– STUDENT, GRANT HIGH SCHOOL
“
“
6
”
Anything can improve with diligent work and practice.
– STUDENT, METROPOLITAN LEARNING CENTER
Writer’s block is just me being afraid to put ideas out there. We
have revisions for a reason.
”
– STUDENT, GRESHAM HIGH SCHOOL
LITERARY EXPERIENCES
STUDENTS TO THE SCHNITZ
AND AUTHOR VISITS
Students participated in literary experiences beyond the classroom by attending
lectures and engaging with authors.
to
the Schnitz
986 students
These students attended an author event at the Arlene
Schnitzer Concert Hall, including the Everybody Reads
lecture with Mitchell S. Jackson. WITS provided student
tickets to all Portland Arts & Lectures and special
events featuring James McBride, Elizabeth Kolbert, Michael
Chabon, Ruth Ozeki, and Katherine Boo.
served
639 students
WITS coordinated 12 author visits, featuring nationally
known writers James McBride, Michael Chabon, Ruth
Ozeki, Katherine Boo, Mitchell S. Jackson, and Carmen
Bernier-Grand. Throughout her week-long stay in Portland
as our first Writer in Residence, Ozeki visited five Film &
Literature classes and one Japanese Language & Culture class
at Grant High School, where she discussed her work as a
filmmaker and novelist.
Public high school students attend each Portland Arts &
Lectures event.
donated
539 books
Schools have limited resources to buy books. WITS purchases and delivers books to
schools so that students are able to read the authors’ work in preparation for visits and
lectures.
Portland Arts & Lectures
Writer in Residence Ruth
Ozeki with Grant High
School librarians.
As part of the Everybody Reads community project, WITS partnered with
Multnomah County Library and The Library Foundation to host Mitchell S.
Jackson, author of The Residue Years, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Hundreds
of students and teachers attended the author event. Jackson also spoke to students at
Reynolds High School and Donald E. Long School.
Mitchell S. Jackson reading
to students at Donald E.
Long School.
7
WITS RESULTS
WITS EVALUATES RESULTS
After working with a WITS writer…
100%
100%
100%
91%
91%
87%
86%
83%
100%
8
of teachers reported that the WITS residency fulfilled the expectations
and goals set for student learning.
of teachers agreed or strongly agreed their students are more able to get
started on a writing assignment.
of teachers agreed or strongly agreed their students are more able to
sustain a writing assignment.
of teachers agreed that their own teaching was enriched and they will
use WITS lessons in the future.
of students reported that they usually or always know how to sustain
a piece of writing.
of students reported that they usually or always know how to get
started writing.
of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that the WITS writer helped
students learn new strategies for revision.
of students reported that they usually or always know how to revise
their writing.
of parents queried said they believe working with a professional writer
has helped their student develop her/his writing skills.
Opposite: Clockwise from the top left: Volunteer mentors visiting with students at Roosevelt High School. James McBride meeting with students
and a librarian from Benson High School. Students participating in the WITS residency course at Metropolitan Learning Center. A public reading
featuring students published in the 2013-2014 WITS Anthology was held at Powell’s in Downtown Portland on December 9, 2014. WITS teacher
and graphic novelist Jonathan Hill teaching a course at Franklin High School.
RESULTS
What parents have to say about their students’ involvement with the WITS program:
“
My daughter absolutely loves it. She enjoys the attention she gets
and feels more capable as a writer.
“
She was proud of her essay and shared it with me, which she
doesn’t normally do.
— PARENT, LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL
”
”
— PARENT, CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL
9
COLLEGE READINESS
COLLEGE ESSAY MENTORING HELPS PREPARE
STUDENTS FOR THE FUTURE
WITS trains volunteer mentors to work with students on the essays they
need for college and scholarship applications.
89 volunteer
112 students
mentors
served by
WITS coordinated College Essay Writing
workshops in collaboration with Franklin High
School teacher Susie Bartley. This year, we trained
29 new mentors and had 60 returning mentors.
These volunteer mentors helped 112 students
generate ideas and revise drafts of their essays
through sessions at Franklin, Benson, Madison,
and Roosevelt high schools, as well as the Literary
Arts community space in downtown Portland.
One of our mentors works with a student from
Roosevelt High School.
“
She helped me edit my essay not just grammatically but also offered
me insight on how to expand and strengthen it. She highlighted what I
did well, as well as constructively criticized what I need to work on.
– STUDENT, BENSON HIGH SCHOOL
Students and volunteer mentors gathering in the library at Madison High School to work on their college essays.
10
”
VERSELANDIA!
VERSELANDIA!
This annual high school poetry slam is presented by Literary Arts in partnership with
public high school librarians in Multnomah County, who host poetry slams at their schools.
Verselandia! is the grand slam for winners from individual school slams held
in each school’s library.
Verselandia! 2015 was hosted by Turiya Autry, author
of Roots, Reality & Rhyme, at the Newmark Theatre
on April 20, 2015. The judges were Carla Hopson,
Dave Maddocks, Manuel Mateo, Renee Mitchell,
and Diane Ponti.
11 high
19 students
schools
from
competed for an audience of
parents, teachers,
505 peers,
and poetry fans.
This year’s top 5 finalists
1st: Gwen Frost - CLEVELAND HIGHSCHOOL
2nd: Bella Trent - MADISON HIGHSCHOOL
3rd: Sekai Edwards - JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL
4th: Quinton Dixon - ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL
5th [tie]: Alexis Cannard & Fiona Murphy
-R
OOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL & WILSON HIGH
SCHOOL RESPECTIVELY
Verselandia! host Turiya Autry posing with the finalists.
Wieden + Kennedy
generously sponsored
Verselandia! and brought
the finalists to their offices
in Portland for a day following the competition.
During their time at Wieden + Kennedy, students
performed in the atrium for W+K staff, learned
about the W+K 12 advertising school, and had
lunch at Bluehour restaurant with Dan Wieden.
Verselandia! winner Gwen Frost of Cleveland High School performing
on stage at the Newmark Theatre.
11
OUR SUPPORTERS
Support for the Writers in the Schools program is provided in part by:
Autzen Foundation, Mike R. Barr, Kim Bissell, The Bloomfield Family Foundation, The Boeing Company, Boora Architects, Tom & Kristen
Boothe, Broadway Books, Susan & Michael Burmeister-Brown, Peggy Busick, Amy Carlsen Kohnstamm, Jan Christensen, The Collins
Foundation, Ginnie Cooper, David & Denise Corey, Marian & Neale Creamer, Amy Donohue & Paul McKean, Theodore & Nancy DownesLe Guin, Mark & Ann Edlen, Joan Fondell, Dean & Alison Freed, Bob Geddes, Gretchen Grey-Hatton, Philip S. Harper Foundation, The Bill
Healy Foundation, The Holzman Foundation, Inc., Irwin Foundation, Susheela Jayapal, Kinder Morgan Foundation, Stacy Lewis, Phillip M.
Margolin, Carol Mayer-Reed & Michael Reed, Richard Meeker & Ellen Rosenblum, Brenda L. Meltebeke & Scott K. Stuart, Multnomah County
Cultural Coalition, The Nara Fund, Jan Oliva, Amy Prosenjak & Steven Guy, Hilary O’Hollaren, Jon Raymond, Harold & Arlene Schnitzer
CARE Foundation, Susan Dee Schnitzer Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation, Shirley Skidmore, Kaarin & Van Smith, Herbert
A. Templeton Foundation, Victor Trelawny, Trust Management Services, LLC, U.S. Bancorp Foundation, Eric Wallace & Kristi Wallace Knight,
Nicholas and Kristin Walrod Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation, Joe Walsh & Miriam Sontz, Dan Wieden & Priscilla Bernard
Wieden,Tom & Marcia Wood, Dr. Candace Young, and many more generous donors, including 139 Portland Arts & Lectures subscribers who,
together with NW Natural, raised over $20,000 to Send Students to the Schnitz.
Writers in the
Schools Advisory
Council
Susheela Jayapal, Chair
Amy Carlsen
Kohnstamm
Joan Fondell
Diana Gerding
Manuel Mateo
Ana Muñoz
Ramón Pagán
Catherine Theriault
Kristin Walrod
Cindy Williams
Gutiérrez
Tracey Wyatt
Sharon Wynde
Public School
Librarians
Paige Battle
Elaine Ferrel Burns
Linda Campillo
Sandra Childs
Fred Fox
Kiva Liljequist
Bryan Smith
Nancy Sullivan
Betsy Tighe
Public School
Principals
Petra Callin, Madison
High School
Carol Campbell, Grant
High School
Peyton Chapman,
Lincoln High School
Brian Chatard, Wilson
High School
Margaret Calvert,
Jefferson High School
Paul Cook, Cleveland
High School
Lorna Fast Buffalo
Horse, Alliance High
School
Filip Hristic, Roosevelt
High School
John Koch, Gresham
High School
Macarre Traynham,
Metropolitan Learning
Center
Juanita Valder, Franklin
High School
Curtis Wilson, Benson
High School
Public School
Teachers
Harris Ambinder
Amy Ambrosio
Susie Bartley
Jennifer Bird
Mark Bond
Matthew Boyer
Teresa Brandt
Ilsa Bruer
Gene Brunak
Barry Cochran
Stephanie D’Cruz
Mykhiel Deych
Kathy Diamond
Jacque Dixon
Chris Dreyer
Zoe Edelen Hare
Jennifer Edelson
Mary Flamer
Daniel Fredgant
Jim Gardenhire
Alex Gordin
Emily Gromko
Crystal Hanson
Mike Heisler
Emily Hensley
Keri Hughes
Jamie Incorvia
Cindy Irby
Aimee Jo
Irma Johnson
Tom Kane
Celeste Karzon
Nam Kirn Khalsa
Crystel Kinnee
Tina Kuchinski
Andy Kulak
Stephen Lambert
Dylan Leeman
Sarabeth Leitch
Eric Levine
Morgan McFadden
Alethea Mock
Desiree Montoya
Dave Mylet
Julie O’Neill
Jenny Owen
Eric Pohl
Phillip Rafferty
Cesar Ramirez
Kris Risher-Spurlock
Mary Rodeback
Alicia Smith
Amy Taramasso
Catherine Theriault
Erin Tillery
Holly Vaughn Edwards
Dana Vinger
Rachel Wilczewski
Amy Wright
Anna York
Literary Arts Staff
Andrew Proctor,
Executive Director
Amelia Ayrelan Iuvino
Amanda Bullock
Lydah DeBin
Susan Denning
Megan Gex
Jennifer Gurney
Alex Ney
Paige O’Rourke
Mary Rechner
Mel Wells
Kyle White
WITS Contractors
Hunt Holman
Joanna Rose
Literary Arts Board
of Directors
Jessica Mozeico, Chair
Betsy Amster
Mike Barr
Amy Carlsen
Kohnstamm
Alice Cuprill-Comas
Ginnie Cooper
Rebecca DeCesaro
Amy Donohue
Theo Downes-Le Guin
Marie Eckert
Robert Geddes
Karen Karbo
John Meadows
Deidra Miner
Amy Prosenjak
Jon Raymond
James Reinhart
Barry Sanders
Pamela Smith Hill
Jacqueline Willingham
Thomas Wood
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