Writer Night

Please Support Second Story

Dear Friend,

We’re building rocket ships in Fountain Square. We’re filling them with purple ants and crazy TVs and hot baked Cheetos and sending them to the moon—and we need your help to succeed.

Okay, so not all of the above is literally true. Actually, at Second Story, we’re teaching kids to switch on their imaginations with creative writing, and we never know exactly what’s going to come out. But we do know this: Second Story has already helped hundreds of kids in Indianapolis find joy in writing as they discover their voices, explore their world, and embrace a life of curiosity and self-expression. We think that makes them better students and better people.
And we really do need your help.

Right now, Second Story is looking to establish our own home in Fountain Square. We want to bring our writing program to more kids. No other organization is doing what we’re doing. We have big plans. Now all we need is the funding.

That’s where you come in. Right now, during our Super Purple Ant Holiday Rocket Challenge, every dollar you invest in Second Story counts as two dollars. That’s because our board has pledged to match your contributions dollar-for-dollar, up to a total of $10,000. (The donate button is up there on the right—it is orange—by the way).

What will $20,000 mean to us? Nearly two years’ worth of rent. Two months’ worth of operating expenses. Seven more programs that help another 200 kids who “hate writing” discover that they actually love it. Of course, you don’t have to stop there, either. Our Super Purple Ant Holiday Rocket Challenge will also accommodate raccoon-, elephant-, and Bigfoot-size gifts, as well. The more support we have, the bigger rocket we can build.

No, that’s not literally true, either. But your gift will help us change more kids’ attitudes about writing. And who knows where they’ll go from there?

And thanks in advance for considering a gift to Second Story. Here’s hoping your holiday season is filled with joy and hot baked Cheetos.

Sincerely,
Jim Walker
Managing Director

Words & Music benefit on Nov. 6

Saturday, November 6 · 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Big Car Gallery
1043 Virginia Ave. Suite 215

Readers including our own Ken Honeywell and Kevin McKelvey, John Clark, Charlie Hooper, Matt Gonzales, Christopher Newgent and more will share short music-related pieces before New York based singer songwriter Freedy Johnston performs. The cost is $20 with beer and wine on hand for purchase. All proceeds go to Second Story.

Here’s are some great videos to a couple of Johnston’s songs. You’ll recognize his hits from the 90s:

Kids! Write a Poem for The Chicken Show

The Chicken Show, part of the Spirit & Place Festival, will explore the chicken beyond a source of food and inspires you to think outside the coop. Consider chickens not only as inspiration for art and writing, but as living sculptures themselves. Michael Perry—journalist, humorist and author of the memoir “Coop: A Family, a Farm, and the Pursuit of One Good Egg”—will share a reading at 8:00 p.m. The full show runs 6-10 with art and writing from Big Car, local university students, and local K-12 students. Attendees can also produce art and writing. Presented by the Kellogg Writers Series of University of Indianapolis, Big Car, and Second Story. Thursday, November 11, 2010 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM at Wheeler Arts Community Center, 1035 E. Sanders St., Indianapolis, IN 46203. See the Spirit & Place festival website for full details.

The Poem Prompt
What do you know about chickens? How do you like to eat chicken or eggs? Some chickens, called free-range chickens, live in gardens and pastures and open areas. They walk and flap, scratch and strut, squawk and cheep. But most chickens live in cages. Over 9 billion caged chickens are eaten in the United States each year, and over 75 billion eggs are produced each year. Most chickens that we eat live in small cages with a few other chickens in big barns. Most chickens that we eat never see see the outdoors or even walk around.

For his poem, write a poem from the viewpoint of a chicken as caged, free-range, or food. Be the chicken. Talk about this with your friends. Try to use a metaphor, which is a direct comparison. Another concept is personification, which is giving human traits to animals or inanimate objects. What characteristics or personality traits would you have as chickens or food? How can the you imagine yourself as a chicken? Use line breaks. not paragraphs. Ideas and metaphor is more important than narrative. Jump—or flap—between metaphors, ideas, and similes.

Submit via online submission form
The full prompt with Indiana State Language Arts Standards and 6+1 Writing Traits TheChickenShow-PoetryPrompt.doc

Update: New Musical Fundraiser!

Corporate Rock Off postponed,
New musical fundraiser set!
 
Due to a variety of things, we’ve decided to hold off on CRO for now and will bring this exciting event back later in 2010 or early 2011.

But, please mark your calendars for Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. at Big Car Gallery (1043 Virginia Ave.) for a night of short music-related readings by local writers and live music featuring international hit singer-songwriter Freedy Johnston. The cost is $20. And all proceeds go to Second Story. Sun King beer will be on tap for your enjoyment. More details coming soon!