New program champions literacy for middle school students from underserved communities through the powerful lens of arts and the tools of journalism.
South Orange, NJ, February 2024 – Write on Sports (WoS) has announced the expansion of its 2024 program to include the brand new Write on Arts initiative. The 501(c)(3) non-profit organization has been supporting students in under-resourced communities harnessing the power of writing through sports storytelling for the past 18 years, and is now adding programs for students to explore writing in the areas of visual and performance art.
Nationwide, music and art classes in schools are being eliminated due to budget restrictions. A recent report by the National Endowment for the Arts highlighted the disproportionate effect eliminating arts and culture curricular offerings has on students from under-resourced communities.
“Write on Arts is a win-win. It will allow students to be introduced to the arts and journalism while simultaneously receiving instruction to improve their writing literacy skills,” said MaryEllen McKillion, Board Secretary, Write on Sports.
Turrell Fund President of Programs and Planning Evan Delgado said, “We have been a long-time supporter of Write on Sports due to its unparalleled ability to connect the critical skill of writing to the interests of students. This new summer camp focused on the arts is not only a natural evolution of the program, but also an exciting way to give children new opportunities to express themselves and develop as learners and leaders.”
The Write on Arts summer camp debuts in July 2024 with a two-week program at Montclair State University led by Arturo Rodriguez, a veteran Write on Sports teacher and current middle school English Language Arts teacher.
For more info on how your school community can participate, please contact Director of Program Operations Shannon Schmitt. To register your child for the Write on Arts summer camp, please click here.
About Turrell Fund
For over 80 years, the Turrell Fund has supported local and systems-wide work in early childhood and the arts. The Fund’s mission is to increase access and eliminate barriers to quality educational and developmental services for the youngest and their families. Visit turrellfund.org to learn more.
About Write on Sports
Write on Sports (WoS) is a tuition-free literacy program created to inspire students from under-resourced communities to improve their writing skills, critical thinking and self-confidence through a topic they are passionate about: sports. The New Jersey-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization celebrated its 18th Anniversary in 2023 and has served more than 2,300 kids with summer camps, workshops and after school programs throughout the Garden State, including including Essex, Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic and Union counties and through affiliate programs in California, Colorado, Indiana and Rhode Island.
Follow @WriteonSports on social media. For more information, please email info@writeonsports.org.
For media inquiries, please email media@writeonsports.org.
