Mark MARCH 16 on your calendars. YWP's monthly pizza/workshop/open mic at Burlington City Arts -- was again postponed because of snow -- and will focus on gun violence, school safety, political inaction.
PLEASE COME. Join in a workshop with YWP's Denise Casey and Rajnii Eddins at 6 p.m. and open mic at 7 p.m. Bring your writing. Bring your outrage.
Seven minutes! Seven prompts! Give it a try! Is your school participating? Get your teachers to give your class time to write for fun.
This is Young Writers Project's annual day of honoring writing -- a day when people of all ages in Vermont (and our friends in New Hampshire and around the country) take just seven minutes to write to seven fun prompts. You can participate on your own, or in class with fellow students and teachers; you can use pencil and paper, or write on one of our websites -- here (if you have an account; if you don't, be patient it may take a while for us to approve your account) or vermontwritesday.org which (no account needed) will open Thursday morning.
THE PROMPTS
Prez: Write a letter to the president. Tell him one thing you want him to do -- and why.
I am: Start or end a piece of writing with the phrase, "I am the one who ... ", to describe who you are, what you love, what you dream of, etc.
Social media:Imagine if all social media -- Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc. -- shut down. Would that be a good thing or a bad thing? How would it affect your life?
Kindness: What's the nicest thing a stranger has done for you?
Write awful: Use cliches, mixed metaphors, tense changes, whatever you're not supposed to do when you write an essay.
Invisible: Write about a time when you felt completely invisible, literally or figuratively.
Turn around:You answer your phone and a voice whispers, "Turn around..." What happens?
And -- as always --General writing is welcome. Write about anything you like!
(Hashtag it #vtwrites18 to let us know it was written for Vermont Writes Day!)
YWP's Rajnii Eddins and Geoffrey Gevalt will soon launch a unqiue, live/interactive course on storytelling and performance. Open to all high school students; held in Burlington Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. beginning March 12 through April 18. FREE. Digital component. AND, performance/presentation event as culmination of your work on May 10 at City Hall, Burlington.
We are kicking off the New Year with some new workshops in YWP Academy. Workshops are intended to help you dive deeper, gain some skills and, gulp, have some fun. They are free. Each will be active for at least 6 weeks. You can start anytime; go at your own pace and as your time permits. The more participants we have the merrier so bring in some friends. JOIN up today (you must log in) to do more with:
Playwriting-- best plays get performed at Vermont Young Playwrights Festival; Storytelling -- make something out of nothing; Hip-Hop-- turn your name into song; Photo Story-- tell a story with five photos; Sound -- gain chops on narrating your best stuff; Commenting-- there is an art to it and, oh, how you can help others!
Sign up today!
If you want to do any of these (or have us design one for you) for school credit (high school usually) contact me (gg) and contact your school to see what we need to do to help you gain credit. Imagine YWP becoming your homework!
The workshops are led by YWP staff or outside experts who will provide you with feedback, guidance and, at some point, a video conference for the group and individual consultation. There will be a mentor assigned to each workshop as well. And a live chat.
Feel like you don't have time? You do. Honest. None takes that long (except playwriting); and stretch it out over time.
YWP Academy is a new, exciting feature on this site that will help you with your school work, allow you to "mess around" with genres and digital media that interest you and engage you to deeply explore important issues with youths around the country and world.
YWP has begun to pilot the workshops in the Academy with a small group of you. THANKS! The input -- and your experiences with these cool workshops -- has been invaluable. The Workshops being offered are fun, bite-sized exercises with feedback, live interaction with the instructor and a finished piece you can be proud of. We are continuing to accept applications for this FREE pilot phase!
The pilot is simple: Anyone aged 12-19 is asked to take at least two Workshops and provide us feedback. The application process is easy - just tell us who you are, why you're interested and what you want to learn. This begins November 7 and runs through December 31.
In exchange, we'll give you FREE year-long access to YWP Academy in 2017 (memberships are valued at $120 each). Questions? Send them to [email protected].
UPDATE: YWP is in conversations with this group to invite the young writers and their mentors into our community! More soon.--gg I came across this video made by a group of young writers in Chicago:
Young Writers Project, Muslim Girls Making Change (MGMC) & Friends are proud to present Voices for Change, a youth conference and slam poetry celebration of identity and voice with special guest artist Amir Sulaiman, renowned Muslim slam poet.
Friday, May 11, 4-9 pm Contois Auditorium, Burlington City Hall Burlington, VT
NOTE: Hi, this is the raw text of posts made between April 17 and April 21 that were "lost" when YWP's server had to be rebuilt. We're very sorry for the intrusion and inconvenience. This was not a YWP problem but a problem with the company we are, for the moment, using to host our sites.
We asked them to supply us with the body text of all of those posts. IF YOU POSTED SOMETHING please do a "find" on the full version of this post for your username and copy and paste it into a new post.
IF YOU do that, or if you repost because you had a copy on your computer, PLEASE ADVISE US in the comments on the right. We will over this week re-post all the work, but it would be great if you can help.
THANKS!
geoff (gg)
P.S. Unfortunately we had to delete all uploaded files because of the nature of the problem on the server. -- gg
*************************** 27. row *************************** title: Of Stars and Streetlamps body: The universe is upside down. The lights of the city, so bright, so dazzling, are below me as I float across the breeze. The galaxy lies beneath, not overhead. Above, the inky blackness reigns, dripping down between the buildings, running through the streets, engulfing all but the brightest of lights. Some of these lights twinkle, some stand still, and some zoom past, hurrying off to nowhere, like comets or shooting stars. I make no wish. I have nothing to wish for. I’m in no hurry. I have nowhere to be. A speck of light holds no office hours, needs no days off, has no strict schedule, no schedule at all. Unlike this city, I am calm. Unlike this city, I am quiet. All sounds are distant. They echo within me, yet leave no lasting effect. I am free, floating on the breeze, my thoughts mirroring its easy flow. I look down at the twinkling lights beneath, and the empty heavens above. The stars were plucked from the sky, and dropped inside the streetlamps. The balance has been shifted. The universe is upside down. author: mythicalquill author_uid: 3657 *************************** 28. row *************************** title: 2018 Community Leaders body: Young Writers Project is proud to share with you the Community Leaders of this site, youngwritersproject.org.
These artists have been selected because of the energy and effort they put into this community, the quality of their work, the quality and quantity of their commenting and their expertise. We also look at the number of Community Points these users have. Most are long-time members. While we don't identify them by their real names, many of you may, by this time, know who they are and where they come from, but even if you don't know that, you know their work. They hail from around the U.S. and beyond.
You will find these leaders are active commenters, they select work for publication or for the front page, create challenges and some even actively work on special projects, online workshops and on site improvements. We are very lucky to have them. And do check out their work and give them some shine, too!
This is a rolling list. We add to it as more of you work more deeply and grow into leaders. And, yes, when some of these guys leave high school, we shift them into mentor status. HOWEVER, we encourage them to stay, to continue to post their work and to mentor others in the true sense of the word. Here is the list:
author: gg author_uid: 2 *************************** 29. row *************************** title: All the Little Lights body: All the little lights, twinkling in the city, and I am only one. I swirl through what seems like a million galaxies, but I am only a speck in one. My colors, they bend and bring joy, they reflect upon all who see them, but I am only one. I make this world a little brighter, but I am only one. I have been places and seen things that you could only ever dream of, but I am only one. I can tell you stories through thousands of centuries, of lives lost, of souls healed, of knowledge earned and knowledge lost, of joy and anger and sadness, of love and hate, wisdom and foolishness, great things and small ones, summer days and winter nights, the stars and the sun, yet I am only one. Reflect upon that. I am only one, one speck of light in the middle of billions of other ones. The world can be a beautiful place if you would only stop and listen to the light. #sos17 author: Nightheart author_uid: 4201 *************************** 30. row *************************** title: Voices for Change May 11, 2018 Event body: Young Writers Project, Muslim Girls Making Change (MGMC) & Friends are proud to present Voices for Change, a youth conference and slam poetry celebration of identity and voice with special guest artist Amir Sulaiman, renowned Muslim slam poet.
Friday, May 11, 4-9 pm Contois Auditorium, Burlington City Hall Burlington, VT
Free and open to all (some material might not be suitable for children under 13). Find out more at youngwritersproject.org.
DETAILS: Opening Artists: Muslim Girls Making Change (MGMC) Youth Speak Out: Forum on Identity Free Buffet Dinner Writing and Performance Workshop with Amir Sulaiman (Check out this workshop on YouTube) Open Mic, open to all Amir Sulaiman Performance (8-9 pm)
Free and open to all! (Some material might not be suitable for children under 13.)
About Amir Sulaiman:
Amir Sulaiman is a poet, recording artist, activist and newly appointed Harvard Fellow, born in Rochester, New York. His poems cross subjects of love, tragedy as well as what it means to reconcile humanity with the unprecedented trials of modernity. He has performed his works across the US as well as many other countries including England, Belgium, Senegal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Australia, Iran and the Netherlands, and continues to tour world-wide. His recently published book of poetry, "Love, Gnosis & Other Suicide Attempts" met with critical acclaim, in addition to his latest album "The Opening," the third in a unique trilogy project, following "The Meccan Openings" (2011) and "The Medinan Openings" (2012). Amir was first introduced to a National audience in 2005 when he was featured for two seasons on Russell Simmons' groundbreaking series Def Poetry Jam on HBO. author: the crow author_uid: 1 *************************** 31. row *************************** title: Big Eye body: Big eye, bright eye, seeing everything.
Big eye, bright eye, little thing in a big city.
Big eye, bright eye, night and day on watch.
Such a big world compared to a little speck of light, but a little speck can always have a big eye.
The tops of skyscrapers look like huge blocks to this little speck. The people down below look like tiny toys to this speck.
Little speck, big world, big city, big eye, seeing everything. author: happy_smiley author_uid: 5073 *************************** 32. row *************************** title: State of Union body: How do you feel about the way things are going in America right now? What ticks you off? What encourages you? Vermont High School Students, you have a special incentive: Sen. Bernie Sanders invites you to write a 250-500 word essay focusing on what you believe are the major challenges facing the nation and how to solve them. Go to www.sanders.senate.gov/stateoftheunionto submit your essay. The deadline is Jan. 10, 2018.
Thanks all for coming to YWP's last SoundCheck of the year -- and sharing your words and positive energy!
Coming next ...
Friday MAY 11: Voices for Change, a special performance event at Burlington City Hall Forum, workshop with world-renowned slam poet Amir Sulaiman Open Mic, Free Food And an hour-long performance by Sulaiman MARK YOUR CALENDARS ALL ARE WELCOME!
As I sit atop the tree I know what’s waiting for me down below. My family, my younger siblings I am taking care of while my parents are at work. My friends that I hang out with at school, and also having fun with my friends playing basketball. School, my responsibilities to keep my grades up, not get into trouble, and turn in assignments on time. My AAU basketball practices and games, giving my all at practice, and during our games.
I walked outside in just a sweater thinking the sun would keep me warm but today it was playing tricks, I shivered and tucked my hand into my pockets then kept walking. As I walked I started to warm up and began thinking, but before a real thought come into my head I was stopped by a tiny brick wall, I got my hand out of my pockets and climbed of the wall easily, as I was setting myself onto the ground on the other side of the wall my foot slipped and I hit a brick.
I am the one who likes to play outside I am the one who likes to play games I am the one who likes to play soccer I am the one who likes to play basketball I am the one who likes to watch news (sometimes) I am the one who likes music I am the one who stands up against bully I am the one who likes summer I am the one who likes to ride my bike I am the one who likes to finish homework I am the one who is myself
I’m walking through an alleyway, when pulled a loose brick. A note falls out. I picked it up, it looked like it had been there for years. Written in pencil it said, I’m kidnapped by John the 3rd. I’m in the basement, get the police and come to 139 Strawberry St. I’m being tortured. I brought the note to the police station. They asked where I found the note, I said “I was walking through an Alley and pulled on a loose brick.”
