Writers in the Schools

Writers in the Schools (WITS) is
a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that engages children in the
pleasure and power of reading and writing. WITS writers work in year-long programs
in over 350 classrooms in order to help 20,000 students develop their creative
and analytical thinking skills. With a focus on at-risk inner city
students, WITS also offers workshops in art museums, hospitals,
community centers, private schools, and juvenile detention centers.



WITS revolutionizes the way reading and writing are taught, nurturing
the growth of the imagination and awakening students to the adventures
of language. Writers provide
long-term creative writing instruction to children and encourage
critical thinking, creativity, and personal responsibility.
More than 90% of these workshops are in low-income classrooms. As
educators and artists, WITS choose to invest our time and resources in
building a future that embraces and develops the gifts of all children.
WITS was founded in 1983 at the University of Houston and continues to
serve children in an expanding variety of social circumstances. WITS
believes that every child deserves a holistic education that encourages
personal responsibility and a sense of community.



WITS
is involved in national initiatives, such as mentoring similar
writers-in-schools programs, serving as a model for multidisciplinary
arts educators, and designing curricula for use in schools. WITS
writers also lead in-services and writing workshops for teachers.

www.witshouston.org