What is a 916 Ink Partnership?
““I’ve seen that students who go through the 916 Ink program are more comfortable using their voice, more engaged in school across the board, less afraid of the pen, less afraid of having to write their thoughts in a science lab or write a persuasive essay in English.” ”
For 10 years, 916 Ink has worked diligently to transform a vision of equal access to literacy in Sacramento into a reality for nearly 5,000 K-12 students.
The Find Your Voice Program
We currently partner with dozens of schools across the greater Sacramento region, bringing a decade of experience in high-quality creative-writing instruction and our own curriculum that aligns with California ELA and Arts Standards.
When your school or organization becomes a Partner with 916 Ink, you have access to:
Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit: This plug-and-play curriculum allows you to easily bring the 916 Ink Method directly into the classroom. The kit includes grade-level adjusted unit calendars, California ELA and Arts Standards, assessment rubrics, writing prompts, and sample readings for grades 3-12.
Technical Assistance (TA): Our experienced staff and TA resources are available to help you incorporate the Curriculum Kit and Method into your classrooms.
Evaluation Toolkit: We make it easy for you to assess participant growth and the effectiveness of the methodology. The toolkit was developed with the help of evaluation experts and is used by our organization to demonstrate success to our funders and stakeholders. Our toolkit is not intended to be used as a rubric for student grading but is a useful way to assess the impact of the Method and its success in improving student engagement.
Partnership Options
Partner: All organizations operating a 916 Ink program will be engaged at the Partner level at a minimum. The Partner level includes everything discussed above: the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit, Professional Development Sessions, Technical Assistance, and Evaluation Toolkit.
You CAN BUILD on your basic Partnership with one or both ADD-ONS:
PROGRAM: 916 Ink facilitates the workshop series in your classroom. Services provided:
Supplies and materials for classroom instruction
Scheduling / coordinating the delivery of the 916 Ink workshop series
Two 916 Ink facilitators for 18 hours of classroom instruction
Recruiting, training, and scheduling volunteers to assist with classroom support, revision, and typing student work
Managing administrative tasks (e.g., registration, data collection, parent engagement, enrollment)
Providing detailed evaluation and program report card on student outcomes
PUBLISH: 916 Ink publishes your students’ writing in a professional anthology. 916 Ink will:
Collect and transcribe student work
Design, copyedit, and produce a final manuscript of student writing
Create professionally designed cover art
Print and release a professionally produced anthology of student work
Provide two free copies of the anthology per student, five for the partner site, and five for each funder
Host a book release party to celebrate students’ achievements
At all levels, virtual and in-person options exist, depending on your program’s needs.
Pricing
BASE PARTNER LEVEL - $2,500
BASE PARTNER + PROGRAM ADD-ON - $6,900
BASE PARTNER + PUBLISH ADD-ON - $7,500
BASE PARTNER + PROGRAM AND PUBLISH (All of it!) - $10,000 *Bundled savings! (full cost: $11,900)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 916 Ink Partnership?
All organizations operating a 916 Ink program will be engaged at the Partner level at a minimum, with the opportunity to have trained 916 Ink staff facilitate the workshops series (Program) and/or publish their students’ writing in a professional anthology (Publication), or both. Please see the New Partner Application here for additional information on the details of each level of partnership.
How do I become a 916 Ink Partner?
If you are interested in becoming a 916 Ink Partner, please see the New Partner Application here.
What is the 916 Ink Creative Writing Workshop Method?
The 916 Ink Creative Writing Workshop Method is based on Pat Schneider’s Amherst Writers & Artists Method, which embraces positive feedback to build confidence in the writer.
First, the 916 Ink workshop facilitator introduces a “spark”—a quote or writing excerpt that fuels the imagination—followed by a 5-15 minute writing prompt. Prompts may come in the form of a tangible object, a sentence starter, photographs, or even a series of questions or phrases. In this generative phase, youth writers learn about the creative process while silencing their inner critics. They can then volunteer to share their work to the group, knowing that they will receive only positive responses and that even their most vulnerable writing will be treated as fiction in the classroom.
After youth writers have generated material, they have the opportunity to revise their work through revision-based writing prompts, peer workshops, and one-on-one review sessions. Unlike editing, which focuses on grammar and mechanics, the revision process allows writers to build on their existing pieces by adding details, clarifying meaning, and exploring craft.
Toward the end of the program, the youth writers choose their favorite pieces to be published in a professional anthology. Finally, at a celebratory Book Release Party, their hard work is rewarded with two free copies of their book. In this moment, each youth writer becomes a published author.
How will students grow if they’re only provided with positive, and not critical, feedback?
The goal of the 916 Ink Creative Writing Workshop Method is to create an environment where students feel creative and confident. Our method increases enthusiasm for storytelling and the writing process. Our prompts ask students to access prior knowledge, make multiple attempts, and revise their work. Students are encouraged to experiment, take risks and think creatively. We believe that a writer is someone who writes and that every student has a story that only they can tell. This reduces the anxiety that most students feel when approaching writing assignments.
Technical Assistance Questions
+ Who do I contact if I have questions regarding the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit or Professional Development Series?
You are welcome to contact 916 Ink for technical assistance at any time during your partnership. Please be aware that your school site is limited to 10 hours of technical assistance per year. We encourage you to use this FAQ form and other resources provided by your partnership with 916 Ink to find answers to your questions, but should you need additional guidance, you can contact Director of Resources Nikki Cardoza at nikki@916ink.org.
Professional Development Series Questions
+ What is the goal of the Professional Development Series?
The Professional Development Series is intended to help our partners bring the 916 Ink methodology to classrooms that we may not otherwise be able to serve. We hope that through the Professional Development Series, educators will feel comfortable using the 916 Ink Creative Writing Workshop Method in their classrooms, either as a full 916 Ink unit or as a principle to guide their curriculum for other units.
+ How do I sign up for the Professional Development Series?
The Professional Development Series is included in a 916 Ink Partnership. If you are a Partner and would like to attend the series, please contact Director of Resources Nikki Cardoza at nikki@916ink.org or register by clicking the link here.
+ How do I participate if I am not a 916 Ink Partner?
Sessions for the Professional Development Series are accessible to everyone, regardless of partnership status, with a fee. If you are interested in attending the series, please contact Director of Resources Nikki Cardoza at nikki@916ink.org
Curriculum Questions
Click to view a sample of the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit
+ What is the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit?
The Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit is designed as a multifaceted tool for educators. It can be used for guidance on facilitating the 916 Ink Creative Writing Workshop Method in your classroom, or as a standalone document for a creative writing unit. Along with the coverage of the method, the curriculum also includes tools for incorporating creative writing into your classroom through prompts, unit calendars, and the California Common Core and California Arts Standards.
+ What is included within the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit?
The Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit includes guidance on the 916 Ink Creative Writing Workshop Method, grade leveled writing prompts and sample writing, a sample unit calendar, and an appendix with applicable California Common Core Standards and California Arts standards. As an attendee of the Professional Development Series, you will also have access to other resources that can guide your use of the curriculum. These resources include the presentation and notes used by our instructor in the Professional Development Series.
+ How much does it cost to access the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit?
The cost of the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit is included in the cost of your partnership. If you are not a Partner with 916 Ink, you cannot purchase the curriculum.
+ How do I access the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit?
To purchase and/or access the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit, please see the New Partner Application here. In order to have access to the curriculum, you must be a Partner with 916 Ink.
+ Is there an example of the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit that I can view?
Yes, you can view the example here.
+ Does the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit address California Common Core State Standards and California Arts Standards?
Yes, Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit includes a sample unit calendar, recommended standards section, and an appendix with applicable California Common Core Standards and California Arts standards. To view an example of these sections, you can click here.
+ Can I access the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit if I am not a 916 Ink Partner?
No. Access to the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit is exclusive to 916 Ink Partners. To become a partner, please see the New Partner Application here.
+ I’d like to use the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit but am not interested in attending the Professional Development Series. Is that an option?
Currently, there is no option to access the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit without being Partner. Attendance at The Professional Development Series is not required but encouraged. The Professional Development Series serves as a guide to using the curriculum and making the curriculum work for you.
+ Can I access the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit and other resources once the Professional Development Series is complete?
You will have access to technical assistance throughout your partnership with 916 Ink. The Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit will be given to all 916 Partners and is yours to keep. You will also have access to the full slideshow and notes used by the Professional Development Series instructor to help guide you after the series is complete. If you are interested in learning more about the 916 Ink Creative Writing Workshop Method and its implementation in classroom settings beyond what is offered in the workshop series, we are happy to connect you with our workshop facilitators or with other educators familiar with the 916 Ink Creative Writing Workshop Method.
+ How can I use the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit in my classroom?
The Professional Development Series is intended to provide an in-depth guide to using the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit within your classroom. The final session of the series (Making the Method Work for You) is focused entirely on incorporating what you’ve learned through the series into your classroom.
+ Can I copy the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit to share with other educators?
The Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit can be shared with other members of the team at your site who are involved in the direct service of your students. It is not permitted to share or copy the curriculum to anyone who does not meet the above criteria.
+ Is the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit available in digital form?
No.
+ How can I assess the success of the 916 Ink Creative Writing Workshop Method in my classroom?
The Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit does not include rubrics or tools for grading. However, by attending the Professional Development Series, you will receive guidance on developing grading tools and rubrics for use of the 916 Ink Creative Writing Workshop Method within your classroom.
+ If the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit does not provide grading rubrics, how do I assess the success of the 916 Ink Creative Writing Workshop Method in my classroom?
The Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit provides an Evaluation Toolkit that was developed by 916 Ink and is used at all of our sites to assess the success of our programming. The evaluation assesses social-emotional development as well as academic attitudes for the classroom as whole. A summary report provides data on the outcomes of the classroom as a whole. This report is generated through matched-student responses and can be used to track individual student growth. However, this is not akin to rubric grading and academic assessment systems.
+ Can I make copies of the Evaluation Toolkit to share with other educators?
Similar to the restrictions on copying the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit, the Evaluation Toolkit may be shared with other members of the team at your site who are involved in the direct service of your students. It is not permitted to share or copy the Find Your Voice Curriculum Kit or Evaluation Toolkit to anyone who does not meet that criteria.
Publication Questions
+ Is publication right for me?
Publishing an anthology of student work is an intensive process and is not guaranteed at the Partner level. Publication is provided on a case-by-case basis and is subject to 916 Ink’s internal capacity. Cost of publication is not included in a standard Partnership. For questions regarding your fitness for publication, please contact Director of Resources Nikki Cardoza at nikki@916ink.org.
+ Who has access to publication?
In order to publish an anthology of student work with 916 Ink, you must be a 916 Ink Partner. Ability to publish is assessed on a case-by-case basis. However, this does not stop you from pursuing publishing through other means or creative methods (e.g. zines, school magazines, etc).
+ Is the cost of publication included in a Partnership?
No, publication is not included in the cost of a partnership.
+ How do I submit a manuscript?
Manuscripts must be submitted in accordance with the 916 Ink Style Guide, which can be found here here and can only be submitted if prior approval has been received. You are responsible for typing up and completing the manuscript. Once your manuscript is complete, and if you have received prior approval from 916 Ink staff, you may send the manuscript to Director of Resources Nikki Cardoza at nikki@916ink.org.
+ Are there limits on the number of pieces submitted for publication?
Elementary and Middle School students can submit up to five pieces for publication or up to 2,500 words. High school students can submit three pieces or up to 2,500 words.
+ How do we treat inappropriate language and content?
Profanities will be starred out in published works, but we do not prevent writers from using such language. 916 Ink does not publish content that glorifies violence or drugs, and that content may be removed at our discretion.
+ How do we treat writing that may raise red flags for mandated reporters?
You should follow your protocol for mandated reporting. While we treat almost everything as fiction when writing in the 916 Ink Creative Writing Workshop Method, we are careful not to overlook potential red flags.
+ Do we get to choose the book cover and title?
Your class will work to choose the book title. Ideas for cover art are welcome, but final artwork will be completed and approved by 916 Ink staff.
+ Do you publish illustrations?
No, our publishing practices do not include illustrations.
+ How many copies will each student receive?
Each student receives two copies of their anthology. This is included in the cost of publishing.
+ What are the guidelines regarding intellectual property rights?
Property rights are covered only for the first publication. Consent to publish must be received by parents of those under the age of 18 years old. 916 Ink has a consent form that can be provided upon request.
+ Who do I contact regarding publishing?
Please contact Director of Resources Nikki Cardoza at *nikki@916ink.org*.
