Look out for pirates!

Hey there!  We've just wrapped up our third week of the second annual Young Writers Summer Camp!

Our first two weeks of camp involved writing pirate stories. Students entering first, second and third grade explored the elements of storytelling by studying Captain Inkwell's Search for the Pirate Plot, a map illustrated by one of our many fantastic volunteers. By the end of the second week, every conceivable type of pirate had been invented. We had lion pirates, tiger pirates and (panda) bear pirates--oh my! At the end of camp, each student took home a copy of their very own creation, bound and custom-illustrated by local childrens' book illustrator Jim Steck.


For our third week we decided to twist up some fairy tales.  The students had a great time manipulating the tired old plots, yeilding titles such as The Lizard of Oz and, a Page 15 original fairy tale, FBI & Ninja.  

Never have so many young people repeatedly uttered words such as conflict and backstory in such a short interval of time. We know that these girls and boys are going to take this experience with them and continue to pursue reading and writing.

Most importantly, these students, nominated by their teachers based on financial and educational need, got to experience all of the above for free thanks to your generous sponsorship.

What's All the Hype About?

Another amazing in-school program launched by Page 15. We have been working with Howard Middle School to create their first ever online school newspaper. After much thought, writing and design, we are proud to unleash The Howard Hype. The fully-online newspaper features interviews, polls, entertainment and news, as well as art and creative writing from the Howard student body. This program, like all Page 15 programs, was offered to Howard for FREE. And finally, a huge thank you to Planet Digital who designed the site. Now go see what the hype's about!

Page 15 Interviewed on WUCF's ArtBeat

ArtBeat is a radio and podcasted show on WUCF. Host Becky Morgan looks at arts events and news from UCF's cultural departments, as well as the wider Central Florida community. Tune in Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 12:01. Listen to the interview with Page 15 here, but also check out the other installments. It's a great show.

Blogging in the New Year

The Page 15 Student Blog is up and running. We hope to get our students excited about writing, as well as fine tune their expository, persuasive and creative skills.

Watch the Page 15 video

Songwriting Talent Spotted in Orlando!

Our latest creative writing workshop "You Wrote this Song" was a great success. The class explored some great examples of songwriting in its many forms and learned hands-on what it takes to be a singer-songwriter. Students wrote and recorded their very own original songs and walked away with a one-of-a-kind CD of their music.

Cheers to Literacy.

Even the most dedicated volunteers need to have a little fun from time to time. Thank you to our volunteers, groupies and supporters who turned out for the good time at our favorite local watering hole, FinnHenry's. And a big THANKS to our Page 15 staff band, The Mavericks, who entertained the crowd into the wee hours. Proceeds from this fundraiser will go directly to our after-school tutoring program. Cheers!
 

October is Page 15 month at Urban Think

For every sale, Urban Think will donate one dollar to Page 15. Make your own contribution and write your name on one of our fancy, modified book covers that put those Publix turkeys to shame. Not only will donating make you feel good and get your name on the wall, but you'll be supporting Orlando literacy and a fine local bookstore. It's a win-win-win-win situation.

Gibson Guitartown

We had a great time at the Gibson Guitartown event at City Hall. We spread the word about Page 15, listened to some good tunes from Thomas Wynn and the Believers, and gave away custom made haikus.

Free After-school Tutoring Kicks Off

Page 15's after-school tutoring program is running full speed in the Downtown Rec Center directly next to the Amway Arena. About 20 kids a day (and growing) cruise through our bright and friendly tutoring room for some one-on-one time with a qualified tutor to help them complete their homework and school assignments. Check out our beautiful space! Are you an A+ in B-squared!?! Page 15 is in short supply of MATH TUTORS for our free after-school tutoring program. Getting started with us is easy and we need all the help we can get. Click here to find out more information about becoming a volunteer tutor with Page 15.

Young Writers Camp out at Urban Think!

We have just come to the end of five incredible weeks of Page 15's first Young Writers Camp. Fourty-four Orlando students from 1st grade to 8th grade turned out to transform the Urban Think! Bookstore into their personal writing lab as they produced and illustrated their very first graphic novels. Thank you to all of the donors, artists and volunteers that have given these children the opportunity to experience a week of fun, creative, and FREE learning! Check out our photos!