Wednesday, September 10, 2008
First of all, thank you for your interest in The Second Story. We're excited to have you involved. As an upstart organization providing free writing programming for kids, volunteers and other supporters are crucial. We can't do it without you. If you know of others who would like to help with the programs described below, please forward this to them or send me their contact info.
In the last several months, we've been busy getting our organization together, assembling an exceptional board of directors and making specific plans for working with kids this fall. Now, we have Phase 1, our in-school program, nearly ready to roll starting the first week of October.
Phase 1 involves taking a team of Second Story tutors to IPS School 15 on the Near Eastside to work with a class of 4th graders once per week on Friday mornings from October 3 until spring. Each week, this team — which we'd like to be fairly consistent from week to week — will help students better enjoy creative writing by working with them in group and one-on-one settings. The time commitment will be from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. each Friday (except when school is closed for holidays, etc.). We'll prep in the hour before the class session, work with the students for an hour and then talk together about the session at the end.
That means we are looking to move pretty quickly on assembling a team. If you are interested in helping as a team member and have a schedule that allows you to be an ongoing part of this project, please let me know.
Phase 2, our after-school tutoring program, will be next. We want to get Phase 1 rolling before we take this step. But the hope is to begin our after-school drop-in tutoring for students of all ages before the end of 2008. Our plan is to start the drop-in tutoring by taking it to places where kids and families already go while we spread the word about what we're doing and while we continue to look for the best location for a permanent home for The Second Story as a writing center. We won't be opening in the Murphy Art Center as originally planned due to uncertainty with the building being up for sale.
Please let me know, also, if you'd be interested in helping with after-school tutoring. This would happen between 2:30 and 5 p.m. on weekday evenings. We'd like participants to have a regular day each week so we can build tutoring teams that get to know each other.
Phase 3 will involve adding writing workshops, field trip visits, online tutoring and other ideas to the mix. But we're being careful to take things one step at a time and do things right along the way.
In the middle of all of this, we are working on fundraising to support our organization. Our 501c3 application has been submitted to the IRS. In the meantime, Southeast Neighborhood Development (SEND) in Fountain Square is acting as our fiscal agent — that means donations to The Second Story are tax deductible. So, if you or somebody you know would like to support us financially, we'd love the help. Our mailing address, web address and my phone number are below.
We are also planning an event for this fall to bring volunteers and supporters together to talk about The Second Story and get your input on our future. I'll be in touch about that.
Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to chat more with me.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
We've spent the summer developing program approaches and figuring out a few things for fall. One thing we've figured out is that the Murphy Art Center, where we hoped to open this fall, is up for sale. With so many things up in the air, we decided to not build out and furnish a space. So, starting this fall, our after-school programming will happen in community locations already frequented by kids and families.
Here's what else we have planned:
In-school
Beginning when ISTEP testing is over in October, we’ll begin piloting our team approach to boosting writing attitudes and abilities with an IPS fourth grade class. We are starting with fourth grade because studies show students at this age are in the final stages of deciding to either like or (too often) dislike writing. We’ll be working with a class of 20 students using our managing director and a team of 10 volunteers. Let us know if you're interested in helping.
After-school
Also in October, we’ll begin offering after-school drop-in tutoring one day per week in two community center locations already frequented by families and children. Our drop-in tutoring will provide volunteers on a one-on-one basis to help with any homework the student brings followed by fun creative-writing exercises. Let us know if you'd like to help with this, too.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Walker, Managing Director
The Second Story
(317) 408-1366 http://www.secondstoryindy.org
New youth writing center forms first full board,
begins preparation for programming in the fall
INDIANAPOLIS (May 14, 2008) – The Second Story, a writing center for young people opening this summer in Fountain Square, has formed a board of 16 writers, educators and involved citizens determined to make a difference in the city’s literary landscape.
At its first meeting with the full board on May 12, the nonprofit center furthered plans to offer free after-school tutoring and writing workshops in its space in the Murphy Art Center starting in August.
The Second Story, led by managing director Jim Walker and board president Ken Honeywell, will also work to help support writing in schools and host field trips at its facility. The space in the Murphy Center, currently used as an art gallery, will continue to show art of interest to all ages and will feature a small store.
The organization’s board members include: Honeywell, Walker, Mark Need, Scott Woolgar, Matt Mays, Meg Liffick, Robert Parrish, Jason Bearce, Jay Parnell, Linda Brundage, John Green, Cindy Muse, Steve Fox, Barb Shoup, Jont Rogers and Jamey Peavler.
The Second Story is seeking volunteers and supporters. Contact us if you are interested in helping.
Our mission: The Second Story is a grassroots creative writing program for young people in Greater Indianapolis. Through classroom exercises, tutoring, and other special programs taught by writers, The Second Story will help kids 6 to 18 discover their voices, explore their world, and embrace a life of curiosity and self-expression through the practice of creative writing.
