The Northwest Arkansas Writing Project will host Young Writers Camps at sites in Northwest Arkansas again this summer.

Registration for students currently in second through 11th grade is now open. From June 16-27, students will meet at the University of Arkansas and Walker Elementary School in Springdale from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

Vicki Collet, director of Young Writers Camp, said the camp includes active learning in a fun camp environment. "Our two goals are that students have fun and that their writing improves," she said.

A parent whose child attended last year told Collet, "My son absolutely loved the camp. He did not want to miss any of it. It was refreshing to see a teenager so excited about writing."

The camp includes various activities that encourage students to write both fiction and non-fiction. Students might participate in a scavenger hunt, looking for clues to help them write a story. At the 2024 camps, students played guessing games to focus on using descriptive language, analyzed and wrote song lyrics, and interviewed K9 handlers and Razorback student-athletes. Students said that feedback from peers and instructors helped improve their writing the most.

"We tell students that they need to exercise their writing muscles every day," Collet explained. "Just like kids attending sports camps, writing takes practice and stamina. We give kids lots of opportunities for both as they participate in individual, small group, and whole-group writing experiences."

After camp each day, the teachers will meet to collaborate and focus on improving their writing instruction. These professional learning experiences are an important part of the project. "Not only are students learning during our Young Writers Camp, but teachers are taking away strategies they will use in their classrooms," Collet explained.

The Northwest Arkansas Writing Project has sponsored camps for young writers for over 20 years. The professional organization is focused on improving writing in area schools. As one of about 200 National Writing Project sites, it provides professional development for educators and directly reaches young writers through summer camps and other activities. For more information about writing project events, contact Collet at collet@uark.edu or visit nwawp.uark.edu/.