Jeffrey Levine, founder, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Tupelo Press, suggested that we look for a way to support young writers in the community Local youth noted that there were not many locations that welcomed young teens Raennah Lorne introduced the idea of a teen writing center, and connected us with Elizabeth Derby, and Jacquelyn Lazo. More young women writers jumped on board, and …

Elizabeth Derby Kim Bassing Kirsten Miles Jacquelyn Lazo Kat Zantow Raennah Lorne

In working with the Tupelo Press 30/30 project, month after month poets expressed the same thing, they felt validated after writing with their peers for a month… We looked at the wonderful 826 Valencia Project and many other inspiring programs. Ultimately we found that none satisfied the broad reach we sought. We decided to ask our most important stakeholders what they wanted….

Exposure to writers of all genres An understanding of where they might take their writing, and where their writing might take them More writing workshops – to dig deep into what they love To write with their peers, within a community – To know that this art they love has worth – is worth supporting like any other art writing contests to aspire to An understanding of publishing To develop confidence in reading their work aloud

Since 1923, teens like Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, and Myla Goldberg earned their first accolades from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Who’s next? They are celebrating 90 years of creativity! Do we want to be a Regional Affiliate, or start our own, local contest?

Funds to seed : Our winter chapbook for member teens Travel funds for the National Student Poet Stipends for talented instructors for 2014 A spring anthology for all area teens A local advisory board to help us identify : to guide and help us make good decisions provide the best incubator for young writers that we can To identify funds to keep program quality high $1,000 $400 Letterpress covers, perfect binding! $500- $8,500 $9,600 $15,000 - We want to keep printing local, and are working on discounts – we want there to be no barrier for a child to participate. We foresee the anthology being a fundraiser which will partially pay for the next year’s anthology, and by the third year pay for itself and hopefully some programming

A central location that young writers can call their own High quality workshops youth can register for, modeled after The Lighthouse, that take our teens from generating new work through the publication process A teen reading series that spreads across town and builds confidence. A local senior portfolio contest An annual anthology of teen writing

To foster, discover, and develop emerging writers, and connect them as a part of the larger writing community, facilitate their ability to take advantage of our local literary resources, and develop resources where they are needed. To announce to and through support of our youth that writing is as important as sports fields, theaters, art galleries and centers, and skating rinks…

We have produced wonderful programming at low costs through volunteer efforts exclusively, for a very small, charter group of students We want to reach all teens in all circumstances without barriers In order to do that we need more than a volunteer effort to provide consistent and dependable, quality workshops

Help us identify people to guide our growing organization Help us find Funds for programming and publishing Spread the word to area families and teens Help us eventually identify space as we work with the Writerhouse to evaluate a best fit for a permanent location for our teens to make their own

To find out more about our program visit our website at: twc.tupelopressva.org To contact us: Kirsten Miles – Director (434)

The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities The Writerhouse The Virginia Arts of the Book Center The Piedmont Council for the Arts The Virginia Festival of the Book Ashlawn Highlands Mona Lisa Pasta Gearhardts Albemarle Baking Company Breadworks The Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar Whole Foods Market Street Winery