Looking for creative writing summer camps?
April 9, 2021
This summer, many of our talented WITS Writers-in-Residence will be leading Scribes Summer Camps with our community partner, Hugo House! Young writers, grades 5-12, will have the opportunity to participate in week-long, all-day camps in which they can safely focus on, dig deep into, and nurture their inner writer. Our WITS writers, as well as guest teaching artists, will lend their expertise and perspective to help students improve their writing and create astonishing new works.
Below is a complete catalogue of all courses led by our WITS writers, which span the genres of poetry, prose, comics, sci-fi & fantasy, songwriting, and visual/audio storytelling, and with camps including immersions into exhibits at the Wing Luke and Northwest African American Museums, and beyond!
Grades 5-6
Creative Writing Scribes with Arlene Naganawa & Sara Brickman
In this exploratory camp, students will develop their creative writing abilities by experimenting in a wide variety of prose and poetry. Students will examine works from carefully curated authors and will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and artistic experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. Camp sessions will be facilitated by two local artists: Arlene Naganawa is a published poet and educator, and Sara Brickman is a published writer, performer, and educator; it will also feature guest teaching artists. The week will culminate with a reading of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts July 5th.
Scribes with the Wing Luke Museum with Arianne True & Sara Brickman
Students will immerse themselves in diverse stories, exhibits, and activities from the Wing Luke Museum, an integral institution for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in our region. As students explore works curated from the museum, they will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. Camp sessions will be facilitated by two local artists: Arianne True is a published poet and educator, and Sara Brickman is a published writer, performer, and educator; it will also feature guest speakers from the museum. This camp will culminate with a reading of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to the Wing Luke Museum.
Starts July 12th.
Creative Writing Scribes with Arlene Naganawa
In this exploratory camp, students will develop their creative writing abilities by experimenting in a wide variety of prose and poetry. Students will examine works from carefully curated authors and will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and artistic experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. Camp sessions will be facilitated by two local artists: Arlene Naganawa is a published poet and educator, and Colleen Barry is an artist, published writer, and educator; it will also feature guest teaching artists. The week will culminate with a reading of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts July 26th.
Comics and Graphic Novels Scribes with Greg Stump and Arianne True
Students will expand their creative writing repertoire by exploring storytelling and poetry in graphic forms, studying topics like memoir, expression, mood, and character. Students will read a wide variety of work from carefully curated authors and will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. Camp sessions will be facilitated by two local artists: Greg Stump is a published comic writer, graphic novelist, and educator, and Arianne True is a published poet and educator; it will also feature guest teaching artists. This camp will culminate with a reading of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts August 2nd.
Creative Writing Scribes with Samar Abulhassan and Jay Thompson
In this exploratory camp, students will develop their creative writing abilities by experimenting in a wide variety of prose and poetry. Students will examine works from carefully curated authors and will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and artistic experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. This camp will be facilitated by two local artists: Samar Abulhassan and Jay Thompson are both published poets and educators; it will also feature guest teaching artists. The week will culminate with a reading of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts August 9th.
Grades 5-8
Poetry, Music, and Memory with Samar Abulhassan
“Music isn’t simply music,” the poet Kevin Young said. “It’s memory. It’s connecting us to our past.” In this class, we’ll immerse ourselves in the magic of music and poetry. You’ll tap into your own jukebox of memory through summoning songs from your past and present, connecting to a songwriter you love, for example, by creating a golden shovel poem inspired by a favorite song passage. Expect poems to surface from treasured yet forgotten memories. We’ll also create a collective jukebox, pooling some of our favorite song lyrics together to create fun writing experiments, pausing to read inspiring texts by Victor Hernandez Cruz, Ross Gay and Sonia Sanchez and Bob Kaufman.
Starts April 22nd.
Grades 7-8
Creative Writing Scribes with Samar Abulhassan
In this exploratory camp, students will develop their creative writing abilities by experimenting in a wide variety of prose and poetry. Students will examine works from carefully curated authors and will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and artistic experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. This camp will be facilitated by two local artists: Samar Abulhassan is a published poet and educator, and Courtney Bird is a published writer and educator; it will also feature guest teaching artists. The week will culminate with a reading of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts July 5th.
Sci-Fi and Fantasy Scribes with Greg Stump
Students in this camp will explore the worlds of science fiction and fantasy in order to develop their creative writing skills. Students will read a wide variety of work from carefully curated authors and will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. This camp will be facilitated by two local artists: JP Kemmick is a published writer and educator, and Greg Stump is a published comic writer, graphic novelist, and educator; it will also feature guest teaching artists. This camp will culminate with a presentation of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts July 12th.
Songwriting Scribes with Totem Star with Matt Gano
In this music-infused camp, students will explore the craft of lyric and songwriting. Students will read and listen to a wide variety of work from carefully curated songwriters and lyricists and will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. This camp will be facilitated by two local artists: Matt Gano is a is a published poet, performer, and educator, and Zoser Dunbar is a singer/songwriter; it will also feature guest teaching artists. This camp will culminate with a performance of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts July 19th.
Audio/Visual Storytelling Scribes with Corinne Manning
In this multi-sensory camp, students will expand their storytelling repertoire by engaging with a variety of storytelling formats from carefully curated writers. They will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. This camp will be led by two local artists: Corinne Manning and Meredith Arena, both of whom are published writers and educators; it will also feature guest teaching artists. This camp will culminate with a performance of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts July 26th.
Creative Writing Scribes with Karen Finneyfrock
In this exploratory camp, students will develop their creative writing abilities by experimenting in a wide variety of prose and poetry. Students will examine works from carefully curated authors and will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and artistic experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. This camp will be facilitated by two local artists: JP Kemmick is a published writer and educator, and Karen Finneyfrock is a poet, novelist, and educator; it will also feature guest teaching artists. The week will culminate with a reading of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts August 2nd.
Poetry Scribes with Sierra Nelson and Arianne True
Students will delve into the craft of poetry, immersing themselves in diverse forms of written expression and learning poetic techniques. Students will read a wide variety of work from carefully curated poets and will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. This camp will be facilitated by two local artists: Sierra Nelson and Arianne True, both of whom are published poets and educators; it will also feature guest teaching artists. This camp will culminate with a reading of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts August 9th.
Grades 9-12
Creative Writing Scribes with Sierra Nelson & Corinne Manning
In this exploratory camp, students will develop their creative writing abilities by experimenting in a wide variety of prose and poetry. Students will examine works from carefully curated authors and will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and artistic experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. This camp will be facilitated by two local artists: Sierra Nelson is a published poet and educator, and Corinne Manning is a published writer and educator; it will also feature guest teaching artists. The week will culminate with a reading of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts July 19th.
Creative Writing Scribes with the Northwest African American Museum with Naa Akua and Daemond Arrindell
Students will immerse themselves in diverse stories, exhibits and activities from the Northwest African American Museum, an integral institution of art, history, and culture in our region. Students will learn elements of prose and poetry to develop their creative writing skills, while participating in writing activities, craft exercises, and experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. This camp will be facilitated by two local artists: Naa Akua is a published poet, performer, and educator, and Daemond Arrindell is a published poet, playwright, performer, and educator, it will also feature guest presenters from the museum. This camp will culminate with a reading of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to the Northwest African American Museum.
Starts July 26th.
Poetry Scribes with Daemond Arrindell and Shelby Handler
Students will delve into the craft of poetry, immersing themselves in diverse forms of written expression and learning poetic techniques. Students will read a wide variety of work from carefully curated poets and will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. This camp will be facilitated by two local artists: Daemond Arrindell is a published poet, playwright, performer, and educator, and Shelby Handler is a published writer and educator; it will also feature guest teaching artists. This camp will culminate with a reading of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts August 2nd.
Creative Writing Scribes with Karen Finneyfrock & Shelby Handler
In this exploratory camp, students will develop their creative writing abilities by experimenting in a wide variety of prose and poetry. Students will examine works from carefully curated authors and will participate in writing activities, craft exercises, and artistic experiences designed to inspire their imaginations. This camp will be facilitated by two local artists: Karen Finneyfrock is a poet, novelist, and educator, and Shelby Handler is a published writer and educator; it will also feature guest teaching artists. The week will culminate with a reading of student work and the option for students to contribute a chosen piece to a digital anthology of their work.
Starts August 9th.