Mentoring and tutoring projects
WriteOn!
WriteOn! is a children's literacy program generously supported by Brian and Jerilyn Perman. We work with the Lea Elementary school and the Penn Alexander school to bring Penn students and West Philadelphia youth together in a meaningful way. For more information, contact wh@writing.upenn.edu.
Alumni Mentors
The Alumni Mentors Program pairs Penn students with volunteer alumni mentors who work as novelists, editors, publishers, literary agents, screenplay writers for film and television, poets, playwrights, feature writers, humanities teachers in public and private schools, journalists, administrators of arts organizations, university professors, freelance writers, spoken-word performers, arts activists, cartoonists, and in many other capacities.
Saturday Reading Cooperative (currently inactive)
The Saturday Reading Cooperative was a literacy program run by Penn students, in collaboration with Lea Elementary School, at 47th and Locust Streets in West Philadelphia. The program is basically designed to expose kids to print material, as well as target communication and writing skills, and non-violence.
Brave Star Collective (currently inactive)
The Brave Star Collective was a volunteer mentoring program that matched bright, creative teenage girls from University City High School and West Philadelphia High School with writers affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania. Through weekly one-on-one mentoring sessions, monthly genre-based workshops held at Kelly Writers House, special readings and field trips, the program provided a safe and supportive environment where girls could expand their natural writing talents, develop independent creative voices, and build confidence in making healthy choices in school, career, and life.
Penn and Ink (currently inactive)
Penn and Ink was an innovative creative writing project that asked creative, excited and motivated Penn students to lead small groups of high school aged students in North and West Philadelphia public high schools. The goal: to get the students writing and to encourage critical thinking.