That’s right, friends: Summer programs are no longer something far off, something vaguely futuristic, something we’re looking forward to (although, of course, we ARE still looking forward to them, as they will be running for some months). Summer programs are NOW. I bet you want to hear more! Well, if you do, you’re in luck, because I’m about to tell you more. (If you don’t want to hear more, um, what are you doing here?)
Okay. Let’s start with what started this week. For example: Our Summer Workshop Schedule! You can find it here. Included on the Summer Workshop Schedule are workshops with names like A Pompous Potluck, Literary Facebooks, and one of my all-time favorites, Me: Wanna Write a Play? You: Yes, with All my Heart. Me: Excellent. In addition to these gems, we are offering drop-in writing programs five–yes, that’s right, five–times a week at two different locations. Please join us:
- Mondays at 826michigan: Fort Club from 4-5pm. If the name alone didn’t convince you that it’s awesome, I’ll tell you what happens at Fort Club: Students make forts, and then they write in them. Awesome.
- Tuesdays at 826michigan: Drop-in Writing from 4-5pm.
- Wednesdays at the Ypsilanti Library: Drop-in Writing for Middle Schoolers from 3:30-4:30pm.
- Thursdays at the Ypsilanti Library: Drop-in Writing for High Schoolers from 3:30-4:30pm.
- Thursdays at 826michigan: Drop-in Writing from 4-5pm.
Just what IS drop-in? Just like what it sounds like. Students and volunteers of all ages (eight and up) get together to work on gently guided writing exercises, exquisite corpses, and more. You know how sometimes you forget that writing can be FUN? The whole premise behind these workshops is to eliminate that thought from the minds of young people. For example, yesterday at Drop-in Writing, the group brainstormed things you might need an excuse for, and then made lists of ten excuses for whichever one spoke to them the most. (One of our favorite students, Duncan, made a list of excuses for why one might run through a retirement home dressed as the Grim Reaper.) Want to participate? Then drop in.
I know what you’re thinking. Yes, that’s what started this week. What about next week? As with every summer, we have slews of off-site programs, including an incredible summer-long cookbook project with three Community Action Network sites–Hikone, Green Baxter Court, and Bryant–and Avalon Housing. There will be smoothie-making, pen-paling, origin-storying, and more! We will, of course, keep you posted.
Furthermore, we’ll be back at Ozone House (more soon on a REALLY cool project we just did with them involving six-word memoirs and the planters that are all over Ypsilanti) and helping out with the Summer Learning Institute in Ann Arbor for the first time.
Okay, that’s it for now. In the spirit of the walkie talkies we just got to facilitate communication between the store staff and the offices in the basement, I’ll end this with: Over.