At KidsWrite, Kids Learn That Writing Is Fun

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Children who love to write will have an opportunity to experiment and sharpen their skills from June 17 to 27 at KidsWrite, a summer writing camp held annually at the University of Arkansas. Now in its fourth year, KidsWrite is a spin-off from the Northwest Arkansas Writing Project and is organized by three NWAWP teacher consultants, Betsy Penix, Lacinda Files, and Lynette Terrell.

"The point of the camp is to build a community of writers," said Betsy Penix, KidsWrite organizer and gifted-and-talented teacher for Walker Elementary and Tyson Middle School in Springdale. "School writing is very structured, and at this camp they learn that writing is fun."

KidsWrite enrolls students from grades 4 through 7, and they choose whether to focus on poetry, short fiction or playwriting. Children are exposed to all three types of writing, meet with guest writers, and go on field trips to learn what writers do in the workplace. Guest authors this year are Karen Taha, a local writer of children’s books and author of A Gift for Tia Rosa, and performance poets Morty and Hamsa Newmark.

Children have responded enthusiastically to KidsWrite. Each year 30 to 40 children attend the camp, from Northwest Arkansas and as far away as Ft. Smith and St. Paul. Penix reports that "children beg to return." Last year, one boy paid the registration fees out of his allowance money. So far, eight children have completed three consecutive years in KidsWrite, and one former participant has gone on to the Duke University Writing Program.

Parents are also enthusiastic about the KidsWrite program. Organizer Lynette Terrell, who teachers 7th grade English at J.O. Kelly Middle School, said one mother told her that the writing aspect of the program was very good, "but what’s great is the confidence the children get."

Besides the writing in their focused groups, the children come together each day to practice "quick writes" and share their writing. One student at a time volunteers to sit in the "Author’s Chair" and read their work.

"Voices shake," said Lacinda Files, organizer and writing teacher for Jones Elementary in Springdale. "It’s difficult, but by the end of the camp, every kid reads at least once."

KidsWrite also produces a daily newsletter that highlights writing and activities. On the last day, all the KidsWrite campers read or perform their work for each other.

The KidsWrite program has received broad support throughout Northwest Arkansas. Scholarships are provided by Ozarks Electric, Northwest Arkansas Times, and the Noon Kiwanis Club. Brochures come from Justus Printers, and t-shirts are provided by Faybles Community Bookstore, Dickson Street Book Exchange, and the Dickson Street Bookstore with help from the Athletic Connection. Harps provides snacks. Organizers are still seeking sponsors for the anthology that will be produced at the end of the camp.

Files, Penix and Terrell organized KidsWrite in conjunction with the Northwest Arkansas Writing Project, affiliated with the National Writing Project and organized locally by Samuel Totten, professor in the College of Education and Health Professions. They hope that next year KidsWrite will be able to offer a writing camp for students in grades eight, nine and ten that will allow them to work at their own level.