Our plan
826 DC partnered with a senior English class at Wilson High School to create "radio" stories. The plan was to have the students learn to write for radio and to produce stories that could eventually be read on the air. We had a local National Public Radio reporter come in to speak about the particular challenges of writing for radio. Then, we assisted the students--over the course of several weeks—with their radio pieces. The assignment was, "write about a time you got caught doing something you shouldn't have." Our job as volunteers was to lead the discussion, help the kids brainstorm, propose a structure for their story, assist with developing topic sentences, description, and tone, and edit the final draft. I signed on to this project--and to 826 in general--because I am a professional editor and writer who loves kids. Now that my own children have left home for college and to pursue careers, I find myself looking for opportunities to be helpful in my community. Writing well is critical, no matter what you do in life. I know I can help DC public school kids gain the confidence and skills to excel in this area.
What we did
Every Thursday for 8 weeks, four 826 volunteers worked with the same 20 students. As their essays took shape, we made comments and suggestions for improvement. And as we got to know the students personally, we found that they opened up to us. Often, I’d say something like “tell me more about what happened when your grandmother caught you smoking a cigarette—what did she actually say to you—can you put her words into your story?” Or I’d suggest, “why don’t create a better hook for your readers—tell them right up front why you bathed your little brother in the toilet.” And we’d laugh and they’d write—and the stories really came to life.
Our results
Each student in the class crafted a respectable radio essay and some of the work is truly terrific. Several students will read their essays at NPR’s studios. They are thrilled. The recorded essays will also be burned onto a CD for distribution. The greater outcome is that even kids who were reluctant to write and read their work aloud to their peers made progress. The kids also got a bit of one-on-one time, which is rare in a large public school. We at 826DC are grateful to their teacher for inviting us into her class and supporting this workshop. I am personally appreciative of the time I spent with these fun and unpredictable teenagers, who reminded me that everyone has a good story to tell. Hopefully, they will find their next writing assignment less intimidating—they now know what they need to do.
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