In the morning, each organization shared what they’ve been working on over the past year. Nearly everyone spoke of having their contributed income from grants and endowments decrease, but at the same time a few had secured new sources of income and were expanding their programs and/or hiring staff. Many organizations had experimented with new strategies and residencies over the past year, and they shared their triumphs and challenges. Some orgs had more volunteers than they could use, while others were hoping to get more applicants for writers-in-residence programs (which is good news for Oregonian writers!). Overall, the day was filled with conversation about how arts education is adapting, growing, and doing phenomenal work despite financial challenges.

Exposito’s presentation on teaching creative writing to Latina youth—or any marginalized student population—was insightful and touched on struggles that many artists-in-residence have faced. She shared her experiences with teaching writing, and the importance of creating a safe space for students to write in and finding mentors who care about the students.

As always, the exchange of ideas and strategies at the WITS Summit was invaluable. Many organizations are forging new partnerships in their communities, diversifying their funding streams, and raising awareness of the services they provide to their local communities. Some were exploring online writing courses to increase rural access. Others were doing teen writing camps, scholarships for students to writing retreats, monthly radio readings and themed classes for students. All were passionate about reaching out to all students, no matter their background or geographic location. It was nothing short of inspiring to hear how hard everyone works!

The highlight was hearing presenters share individual stories of how their work has changed lives. It was a good reminder of the importance of arts education and why everyone works so hard at their nonprofit or school. At the end of the day, it was great to feel connected to so many people who are actively working to nurture creativity throughout Oregon. Thanks to our presenters, our host, and all our participants. We’re excited to see what everyone accomplishes in the upcoming year!

We even had a lunchtime stroll in the beautiful Gorge!

A  week from graduation, she walks into her English class, sits down and looks to the overhead screen for the day’s prompt: “Neighborhood.” For a minute she quiets herself, pen in hand.

With each passing day, school seems both closer and more distant. Surges of memory — her teachers, her classes these past four years, all the hallway conversations, the languages. The halls used to be more crowded, livelier, but now some of her classmates show up every other day, if that.

Her teachers tell them they matter, no one is abandoning them. They can’t take it personally, that’s the thing. Life’s not always fair. And they know it’s true, and also, enrollment was on the low side compared to other high schools.

Still — this place is theirs. For some kids, it’s home, where they can come to know that people will pay attention to what they’re thinking. Where they can find a few moments of calm. Where they can eat.

“I live in the wilderness of the economy,” she writes on the first line of her paper.

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Mark applauding an author's work at a student reading.

The attendees walked into p:ear on a crisp September day, looking much as their students will on the first day of school: armed with nervous-yet-excited smiles, knitted scarves, and notebooks of lined paper waiting to be filled. Each writer brought a unique perspective and specialty to the U-shaped table, but all have the same goal—to inspire students. (Check out everyone’s bios to browse this year’s wealth of talent.)

“We’re arsonists,” said Mark Pomeroy. “With the numbing climate of test-score pressure, kids welcome some fire.”

As the afternoon sun lit up the soaring space with a soft glow, writers shared lesson plan ideas, tips for teaching, and even took a turn at being students. Amy Minato opened a bag of lost-and-found items, including a watch and a tie-dye sock, and asked everyone to write about them. For a moment, between the rumbles of passing buses and MAX trains, nothing but the soft taps of pens scribbling across paper could be heard. To any lover of words, it sounded like music.

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Working with scientist Jean Piaget’s idea that humans, when they are very young, associate meaning with objects, and remember those associations after the objects have disappeared, Moulton collected various objects and displayed them in a mobile gallery. All objects were paired with a card, revealing the object’s particular importance to its owner, and the tender memory associated with it. The objects are simple – a hair clip from a deceased best friend, a favorite mug from childhood, a mixed-tape, but combined with their associations, the Object Permanence project reveals how even the tiniest or simplest object can be a treasure. Inspired observers were also invited to type a personal association about an object on either of two beautiful typewriters attached to the mobile gallery, or to draw the object to submit to Laura Moulton for inclusion on her website http://lauramoulton.org/object-permanence/.

She lived in a big green house in Sullivan’s Gulch for 20 years, along with her husband Tony and an assortment of dogs. For many years she worked as the publicity director for Powell’s Books and in that capacity established the reading series there. That work put her in contact with some of the finest writers of the late eighties and early nineties, many of whom unknowingly became her teachers and mentors. One in particular was Tom Spanbauer, (author of The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon and In the City of Shy Hunters) with whom she worked as student and co-teacher for ten years. It was there that she connected with her current teaching partner, Stevan Allred. Together she and Stevan guide the Penwood Table critique group, which has gathered in her dining room for many years. They also present weekend workshops around the state, most recently at The Wavecrest in Cannon Beach.

Besides writing she volunteers at the Oregon Humane Society, working with dogs who have behavioral issues as well as senior dogs. She also spends too many hours watching the sparrows, chickadees, juncos, nuthatches, goldfinches and pine siskins at the feeders in her yard, as well as, alas, the occasional kestrel.

Her favorite authors change regularly but a few who remain near the top of the list are Terry Tempest Williams, Christopher Moore, William Gibson (the Canadian science fiction writer, not the philosopher), and Lewis Nordan.

Winner of a Hopwood Award from the University of Michigan, Jessica Lamb’s poems have appeared in numerous journals, including Poetry, The Southern Review, and Willow Springs. Raised in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, she received a Master’s degree in Italian literature from Stanford University before settling in Portland, where she has taught writing for many years through the Northwest Writing Institute, Portland Community College, and Literary Arts’ Writers in the Schools program. Her first book, Last Apples of Late Empires, will be released in Spring 2009; the publisher, Airlie Press, is a new Northwest poetry publishing collective of which she is a founding member.

A native Texan, Matt studied acting, directing, and playwriting at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University and received his BFA in 1995. Having been closely mentored by Paul Walsh and Lou Salerni, Matt developed a deep passion for new work development and post graduation embarked on a career in new plays. In the summer of 1995, Matt took over the Dallas, TX summer company Youth Could Know Theatre, where he acted as co-Artistic Director, changing the company’s mission statement to only produce new plays by young, upcoming writers. In his three-season tenure, he produced seven world premieres and received a Dallas Observer “Best of Dallas” award for innovative theatre. While still in Texas, Matt also gained recognition as a composer, scoring numerous plays including Twelfth Night for the Shakespeare Festival of Dallas and a raw, rock ‘n’ roll version of Mother Courage and Her Children for the Margo Jones Theatre at SMU. Moving to Portland, OR in 1997, Matt quickly began working with Stark Raving Theatre (SRT), participating in many installments of the New Rave New Works Festival and directing the 1999 premiere of Joseph Fisher’s Prometheus Bound which earned three Drammy Awards including one for his score. From 2001-2002, he served as Associate Artistic Director for SRT, rewriting the mission statement to only produce new unpublished work. He also revamped the internal structure of the company to employ a group of resident production artists who understood the development of new plays. In 2002, Matt was promoted to Artistic Director, a position he held through July of 2006. In five seasons at SRT, Matt directed, wrote, and scored numerous productions, and oversaw 31 plays as they went from page to premiere. His own plays, the planet ME, Neck, A Place Called Timothy, Parts, Darkstep and Dawning, After the Zipper, and The Vespiary have been produced in the Dallas, Texas and/or Portland, Oregon areas. In 2006, he was commissioned to write (with William S. Gregory) a short play called Let There Be Word that served as the kick-off for the JAW Festival at Portland Center Stage. In 2006, 2007, and 2008 he directed the Promising Playwrights program for JAW. Since 2003, he has been a member of PlayGroup at Portland Center Stage, an ensemble for professional playwrights lead by Literary Manager Mead Hunter. Recently, his plays Rubber ‘n’ Glue, First Beard, Boy, The Cloud-Bangers, and Carnivora were developed there. First Beard was selected for the Studio Series at the 2007 JAW Festival and was also a finalist for Kitchen Dog Theatre’s 2007 PlayFest. The Cloud-Bangers was selected for the 2008 JAW: Made in Oregon Festival. Rubber ‘n’ Glue received a reading in June of 2008 at the Pavement Micro New Works Festival. In the fall of 2008, Boy received a concert reading at Portland Theatre Works. And in March of 2009, Blue Monkey Theater will premiere his play Ablaze. Matt is a two-time recipient of the Rosenfield Playwriting award at SMU. He also has a rich background in youth education. In 2005 he began teaching playwriting for Literary Arts through their Writers in the Schools (WITS) program; he also serves as the an instructor and co-coordinator for Portland Center Stage’s Visions and Voices “in the schools” playwriting program. In the spring of 2006, he became the playwriting instructor for The Greenhouse School of Theatre at Portland Center Stage and remains there, both teaching and developing new courses in playwriting.