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In our never-ending effort to put your brilliance on display in front of a wide audience, we are endeavoring to create a network of platforms to showcase your work.

Of course, the more followers, favorites, likes, retweets, reblogs, karma points, friends, and repins we as a community can get, the more attention your work will get.

And it starts with you!

Find us on:

  youngwritersproject.tumblr.com

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I pray for Kansas 

Their world once a beautiful canvas

Torn apart by a tornado

All their crops of corn and potatoes

Washed away...

I can't imagine loosing my house 

My memories

My family

It's all to hard for me to picture

But for people in Kansas right now they have to deal with this kind of stuff but 10 times bigger 

I saw the after pictures and couldn't help but grieve

what that tornado did was the act of a thieve 

Stealing away friends and family members children that were to young

Not showing any compassion, not a drop of love

It just sucked the state up into it's swirling blender

And shot it back out, the untouched land slender

I can't help but feel for them

For all the loss they have been through

I might not know them but their Americans to

And I just send hope to them through this tuff time

And I want to reinsure them that everything will turn out fine.

Congratulations to the six winners of the YWP Farm Project writing challenge!

Seventy-seven young writers from across Vermont responded to the challenge to write about farms and food and six winners were selected by our judges. The Vermont Community Foundation, sponsor of the challenge, is awarding each writer $50 with a matching $50 donation to a Vermont farm or food nonprofit of the writer's choice.

Congratulations to:

David Amouretti, Grade 5, Thomas Fleming School, Essex Junction

Callista Bushee, Grade 8, Home School, East Wallingford

Kelsey Eddy, Grade 9, Mill River High School

Saskia Kiely, Grade 7, Vergennes Union High School

Carley Malloy, Grade 7, Thetford Academy

Eva Rocheleau, Grade 8, Williston Central School

Read the winning submissions!

For those of you who watch these sorts of things, Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut who has been on several Space Shuttle missions and has been, since December 2012, commander of the International Space Station, returned to Earth on May 13. After numerous tweets, videos of experiments, a blog and other InterWeb type things, he has published this rendition of David Bowie's famous tune. It represents his goodbye to the station:

  Read more »

Congratulations to the six winners of the YWP Farm Project writing challenge!

David Amouretti, Grade 5, Thomas Fleming School, Essex Junction

Callista Bushee, Grade 8, Home School, East Wallingford

Kelsey Eddy, Grade 9, Mill River High School

Saskia Kiely, Grade 7, Vergennes Union High School

Carley Malloy, Grade 7, Thetford Academy

Eva Rocheleau, Grade 8, Williston Central School Read more »

So you read a story, a poem, a rant, an essay... or you hear a song or a podcast ... or you see a cool image or digital story, and it gives you an idea about your own story, or poem or idea or photo or song...

SPROUT IT!

YWP is excited to announce a new feature, 'Sprout a Story' that allows you to react to a person's piece -- with your own -- and automatically link the two forever.  A new type of commenting.  A new way to LOVE! Show how you appreciate a piece by sharing your own, related, idea, your own sprout. Just click the 'Sprout a story' link below the full version of the post that is the inspiration of your idea.  A 'create a blog' form will appear with the 'Sprouted from' reference (which will become a link) right in the form.  And the original story will contain a link and a summary of your story once you save your own. Have fun!

But what about CHAT? Well we're going to give it a rest for a bit. Why? Main reason: The number of comments on posts has been declining -- precipitously -- lately. It seems no one 'has time' to read and then offer supportive critique or suggestions or much of any reaction at all. And we think that's because it's a whole lot easier to chat. So call this a bit of behavior modificiation, but realize, too, that the true value of this site is that it is an active, supportive writing community. We are missing a bit of that energy and strength of later.  So give this a try. See what happens. See what you can grow.

cheers,

gg

Congratulations to Meghan Santry of Middlebury Union High School!

-- Addison County Writer of the Month for April --

See Meghan's winning poem, Inspiration ... Read more »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Young Writers Project recently received a $2,500 grant from the Vermont Community Foundation’s Small and Inspiring grant program to support workshops for youth in the North by North Center at YWP’s offices at 12 North St., in Burlington. The North by North Center is YWP’s community writing center that is driven by youth leaders and the needs of youth. North by North provides neighborhood youths a safe, quiet place to write, receive instruction and feedback and connect with youths from similar and different backgrounds.

Through its Small and Inspiring grant program, the Community Foundation hopes to help foster the spark that keeps Vermonters healthy and happy by finding and supporting projects in every town in Vermont where a small grant can make a big difference.

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YWP is a Vermont 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 2006 that engages thousands of Vermont and NH students in grades 3-12 in a variety of writing projects, helps them improve and present their best work online, in newspapers and on radio and stage through a variety of media and arts partners. Read more »

              Once, when I was twelve, my little sister who was back then, eleven, and I went on a short walk in the woods. The clearly marked trails bored me, as there was nothing adventurous about it. I remembered a couple weeks ago when I had token a short cut, and ended up home again. Little did I know what I was getting into when I told my little sister;

            "Let's take this shortcut, I know the way." My sister, unhappy with the sudden change, followed me muttering something about getting lost. We walked and walked, and suddenly I realized we had walked way too long, and we should have been at our destination by now. We reached a dense forest of short and bushy evergreens, and couldn't go through it. We saw our property lines, and I thought we had crossed them without knowing it. So we crossed back over, and kept on walking. My sister was really angry by then, saying how we should have just followed the regular path, instead of taking a shortcut which wasn't even ending up being a shortcut. We then reached a snow mobile trail. Now I knew we had not crossed back onto our property, but out of it. Read more »

A special congratulations to our two newest Writers to Read! Samiam and SingingSigrid deserve a cyber-round-of-applause and pat-on-the-back for their continued great work writing and providing earnest feedback to others in the YWP community. Let's hear it for em! Thank you guys!

Congratulations to our SEVEN WINNERS of the YWP-Vermontivate Climate Change Writing Challenge! The writers were honored and awarded $50 each by Vermontivate (the community sustainability game -- check it out!) at a fantastic Earth Day Celebration on April 20 at Main Street Landing in Burlington. Thank you to all who participated in the challenge!

And the winners are... Read more »

YWP Introduces:

C'MON DOWN!

Monthly THURSDAY PERFORMANCE NIGHT -- this month "I Am From..." OPEN MIC at 5:30 to 7:30 ... Performance Artist Lizzy Fox leads a workshop at 4 p.m. Come hone your piece, get help on performing or create a new piece! PIZZA if we get enough ADVANCE signups (email gg SOONEST). No charge for this session but you will be swamped with guilt if you miss it! Bring your friends.

NxN Center: 12 North St, Burlington - See You There!

Thanks to all who participated in the YWP/Vermontivate* 2013 Climate Change Writing Challenge. SEVEN YWP WRITERS were honored at the Earth Day celebration and Vermontivate launch party on Saturday, April 20, Much fun had by all! Check out the Vermontivate project on the link above. Read more »

One Day Without Shoes

What: One Day Without Shoes

Who: Anyone and Everyone

Why: Because

When: TODAY

One Day by Matisyahu, Marching On by One Republic, Wavin’ Flags by K’NAAN. Songs and Shoes. Two things we take for granted. Songs empower us to move, to make changes, to take life ‘one step at a time’.  Every day, every day we take these steps whether they be on land or in our minds. And how do we take these? Some may say by following our dreams, others by Don’t Stop Believin’.

But it is even simpler than that.

We take these steps with shoes on our feet. Most of us anyways.  Most of us can look around us and see shoes on peoples feet, whether they be sandals, tennis shoes, or even loafers.  Asking around you get many answers on what people’s favorite shoes are; DCs, Nike, Converse, etc. Read more »

            Breaking news, Giant mutated Beetles have invaded Norway!

Videos and stories of a giant race of Beetles moving forces into Norway have sprung up. The Beetles plan to take the entire world as their own. A spokesman of the Beetle regime was quoted saying “We shall exterminate the infidel.” Based on our word choice in bringing you this news, you’re going to believe that a relationship with Al Qaeda or Taliban exists. No conformation of this relationship exists but we’re going to tell you its true anyway. The U.S. still refuses to commit troops to the struggle because they have no oil interest in Norway. As soon as the conflict reaches the Congress or Senates wallet, U.S will get involved. This is John Malarkey reporting for Fox News, back to you Liars. 

  I look at the warm, fresh, steaming vegetables laying on your plate. I don't think about where they have been, only of where they will soon be. In my stomach. I fantasize about the explosion of flavor about to enter my mouth, until my family joins the feast. I don't take even a second to think about where the food comes from and who made it. That's the thing, many people forget about the hard work people put into food so you can feast upon it three times a day. The blood, sweat and tears is forgotten once set upon my plate. Although when I sit at the table with my family, eating my classes months of hard work, the thought stays in my mind. Read more »

One stormy night, drizzling rain all about, I crept out from my bed to answer a thumping on the door. Thump Thump Thump came the noise. I walked out the hall, through the kitchen and finally to the door. Thump Thump-Thump-Thump. Quicker were these last three thumps, so I opened the door abruptly. It was none other than a lonely spider, trapped under a glass cup. Looking right, then left, seeing nothing I let the spider go from under the cup and closed the door. I noticed now, the writing on the bottom of the cup, etched into the inside ring of the glass.

Tiny spiders become Big problems.

Don't ignore problems, always keep your eye on them.

  Read more »

I dislike many things but the biggest thing I hate is when people pretend to be your friend but then hate you the next day. 

Opeaning Day for Baseball

Finally, my best freind is back

The first of 162 games in six months. The Red Sox my favorite team took on there #1 rivals The New York Yankees, Us, Sox fans call them the evil empire. they have four of their key players on the Disabled list to start the season they aren't going to be good this year. They have two of the worst starters on their starting rotaitoon.

The game was amazing.In the pregame cermony, the victums of Newtown where honerd. The Red Sox  got out to any 4-0 lead in the 2 inning off of C.C. Sabatha. Jacoby Ellisbury got a two RBI single in the ninth to put the Sox up 7-2.The famous prospect JackieBradley Jr.  made a good cacth in left field. Even know he didn't have a hit, he had an RBI and scored twice on 3 walks. If the Sox keep this up they will win.  

One dark night I was sitting next to the fire place. I heard a shatter and I look there was glass on the floo. I was about to yell to my mother, then I remembered that she was on a date. Then I thought that it was a prank from the kids on down the road. So I sat. I felt something ice cold on my shoulder. I turn slowly, and see a face that looked like a melted candle. Then I felt something hit my head, something hard. I didnt know if I was dreaming or liveing the nightmare for real. I felt that I was being dragged. I was really living it. Then the frount door opened and I heard a car door open. Then I heard it shut. I heard someone yell "GO,GO!" and I heard the car speed off. I was living in a nightmare.

One dark night I was sitting next to the fire place. I heard a shatter and I look there was glass on the floo. I was about to yell to my mother, then I remembered that she was on a date. Then I thought that it was a prank from the kids on down the road. So I sat. I felt something ice cold on my shoulder. I turn slowly, and see a face that looked like a melted candle. Then I felt something hit my head, something hard. I didnt know if I was dreaming or liveing the nightmare for real. I felt that I was being dragged. I was really living it. Then the frount door opened and I heard a car door open. Then I heard it shut. I heard someone yell "GO,GO!" and I heard the car speed off. I was living in a nightmare.