Write on Sports
History
2005
WoS was founded in 2005 by Byron Yake, a former sports writer for the Associated Press in Pittsburgh and, later, Sports Editor and a senior executive at The AP in New York. Byron’s inspiration for WoS arose from his interest in sports, journalism and education and his desire to help students improve their writing skills.
2006
WoS partnered with Montclair State University’s Broadcast Department, The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center and the Montclair School System to launch the first WoS summer camp program.
2007
MSU’s College of Education and Human Services began hosting WoS in its University Hall facilities and WoS expanded its reach to include summer camp programs for Newark, Montclair and West Orange students. The results were clear that using sports as a theme to inspire middle school students to write was a sound, workable and replicable model. That year, Dr, Erik Jacobson, a professor in the College of Education, developed an in-depth curriculum and teacher training program and introduced a student evaluation program.
2008
WoS held a pilot after-school program in Paterson in addition to the summer camps in Newark, West Orange and Montclair.
2009
WoS started a Spring-semester after-school program at the Technology High School in Newark. Summer camps for Newark were held at the Dr. Marion A. Bolden Student Center of the Newark Public Schools and at Montclair State University’s ADP Learning Center for West Orange and Montclair, respectively
2010-2011
WoS introduced an after-school program at West Orange’s Liberty Middle School and the Bolden Center in Newark and ADP Center at MSU again hosted summer camps for the Newark and West Orange students, respectively.
2012
WoS introduced a new summer camp in Hawthorne as an addition to the summer camps for Newark and West Orange students and an after-school program was introduced for students at the Boys & Girls Club of Newark.
2013
WoS made a milestone step with the creation of an Affiliate summer camp program in Goshen, IN, which was operated by Goshen College in conjunction with the Goshen Public School System. This is in addition to the ongoing summer camps for Newark, West Orange, and Hawthorne students.
2014
WoS continued its expansion, creating new summer camps at Roselle Catholic High School in Roselle, New Jersey, and at Central Falls High School in Central Falls, Rhode Island.
2015
WoS introduced its eighth summer camp in West Long Branch, New Jersey located at Monmouth University. A total of more than 200 campers attended camps across WoS’ New Jersey, Indiana and Rhode Island programs.
2016
WoS maintained its eight camps, an after-school program in West Orange and initiated a new program – holding one day events on Saturdays for students of Write on Sports.
2017
Two additional camps were started. Under the Rhode Island Write on Sports umbrella, one camp was held at Providence College and a second was started at nearby Bryant University. A new camp was started at Sacred Heart University in Bridgeport, Connecticut by the Cardinal Sheehan Center. Thus a total of 10 camps were held, again for more than 200 students. Camp locations: Two in Newark; Two at Montclair State University for the Oranges and Hawthorne/Clifton; Roselle Catholic High School; Monmouth University; Goshen College, IN; Providence College; Bryant University, and Bridgeport, CT.
Gala Honorees
Past WoS Gala Literacy Champions and Honored Guests
2007
Jeff Vanderbeek – Owner, New Jersey Devils
2010
Stephen Baker – former player, New York Giants
Chris Broussard – FoxSports Analyst
Kathy Holloman – WoS teacher and RB/Receiver, NY Sharks
Peter King – Sports Illustrated, MMQB
Antonio Nogueira – wheelchair marathon racer and artist
2012
Justin Tuck – former player, New York Giants
Peter King – Sports Illustrated, MMQB
Kim Jones (emcee) – NFL Network
2013
Bill Ard – former player, New York Giants
Peter King (emcee) – Sports Illustrated
Chris Broussard – FoxSports Analyst
Sandy Pyonin – AAU basketball coach
Kenneth Goldman – Rivendell Foundation
2014
Prince Amukamara – Chicago Bears, formerly New York Giants
Steven Beck – Norfolk Partners, co-Founder People against Childhood Epilepsy
Steve Politi – Star Ledger/NJ.com
2015
Stephen A. Smith – ESPN
David Tyree – former player New York Giants
Jenny Vrentas – Sports Illustrated, MMQB
2016
Lindsay Berra – MLB.com
Hubie Brown – ESPN/ABC NBA Analyst
King Rice – Monmouth University Head Basketball Coach
Peter King (emcee) – Sports Illustrated, MMBQ
2017
The Rev. Edwin D. Leahy, O.S.B. – St. Benedict’s Prep, Headmaster
Matthew Stanmyre – NJ Advanced Media/NJ.com
Steve Politi – NJ Advanced Media/ NJ.com
Hugh Weber – New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center, President
Peter King (emcee) – Sports Illustrated, MMQB
