W.o.o.t.s.

Parents, friends, teachers and writers packed into Annie Bloom’s Books to see Wilson students read  poetry, prose, and drama written during the previous semester with a WITS writer-in-residence. The classes hosting a writer included Creative Writing, 3D Design, and US History. WITS writer Cindy Williams Gutierrez spoke of creating art from books and writing poems [...]

It was certainly a 21st-century reading at Broadway books on Wednesday night, with students reading their comics projected onto a screen and playing radio pieces they had pre-recorded for broadcast. The pieces were produced in two residencies at Benson High School this past semester: graphic novelist Nicole Georges taught in Dave Mylet’s classroom, and journalist [...]

As a follow-up to our fall essay mentoring event at Franklin High School, last week we reconvened juniors and the mentors who had helped them. In the fall, students brainstormed topics and mentors helped them begin working on an essay for their college and scholarship applications. This time, students came with an essay they had [...]

In our final WITS reading for Spring 2011, Franklin and Portland Night High School students read to a (packed!) audience at BiPartisan Cafe. It was one of our largest readings yet, and it was wonderful to see so many friends and parents attending. Each student, teacher, and writer did a fantastic job, and we’re already [...]

First, thanks to Girasole Pizza for hosting an awesome reading last night! The sunny room was packed with students, teachers, WITS writers, parents, and Literary Arts board who enjoyed wood-fired pizzas and both listened and watched students read their work. We had a projector for those who’d drawn comics, and the applause for everyone was [...]

Last night’s reading at the Portland Art Museum was an awesome example of multimedia storytelling and collaboration. Lincoln students who worked with WITS writers this past semester spent time at the Portland Art Museum and the Independent Publishing Resource Center to create work that is both inspired by and expressed through visual art. In addition [...]

Another round of WITS Readings is approaching! Here’s the schedule: Lincoln High School Date: Thursday, May 12 Location: Portland Art Museum (1219 SW Park) Time: 6:30 pm Featured WITS writers: John Isaacson and Laura Moulton Roosevelt High School Date: Monday, May 16 Location: Girasole Pizza (8438 N. Lombard) Time: 7:00 pm Featured WITS writers: Carmen [...]

What does providing tickets and transportation to nearly 1,000 students to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall look like? Well, this was a calm moment… On last Monday night, eight buses were lining the streets around the Schnitz for our event with Wes Moore, the author of this year’s Multnomah Country Library “Everybody Reads” selection, The [...]

After an exciting week of rehearsals, The MothShop took the stage Friday morning at Marshall High School’s Renaissance Arts Academy. For those who don’t know, The Moth has a few rules. The story must be true. You can’t memorize it or use notes or props. It’s just the teller, the mic, and the truth. So [...]

Thanks to everyone who came to our anthology reading at Powell’s City of Books! It was an awesome event. (The colorful background is old Portland Mercury covers.) Check out our facebook page for more photos, or grab a copy of next month’s Literary Arts e-newsletter (sign up here) for a full write-up.