Contact Information:
916 Ink
Allison Stelly, Development Manager
Cell: (512) 705-8512
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SACRAMENTO CREATIVE WRITING NONPROFIT OFFERS FREE IN-PERSON SUMMER CAMPS FOR “PROMISE ZONE” YOUTH
Helps Low-Income Students Boost Their Literacy Skills and Confidence
[SACRAMENTO, CA, June 17, 2020] – Sacramento nonprofit 916 Ink is offering free week-long writing summer camps for youth who live in one of the neighborhoods in the “Promise Zone.” Registration is open now for in-person sessions that start in July for students in grades 3rd through 8th.
The Sacramento Promise Zone is a designation encompassing 22 square miles of Sacramento's most vulnerable neighborhoods. According to the website for the Sacramento Promise Zone, "More than 30% of residents in the Promise Zone have yet to achieve a high school diploma or GED." Interventions like 916 Ink’s summer camp are proven to improve a student’s literacy skills and interest in academics, and can help improve these odds for students. More than half of 916 Ink’s students showed improvement towards grade-level writing standards after one workshop series, 85% showed improved attitudes toward writing, and 90% showed improved social/emotional skills.
To find out whether one lives within the Promise Zone, visit https://www.sacramentopromisezone.org.
Over the days of each camp session, students will write fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction with 916 Ink staff, volunteers, and guest artists. Students learn to engage playfully with language through writing prompts, participating in sharing and giving feedback to their peers, and activities such as zine-making, collage art, group storytelling, rhyme activities, and spoken word. Additionally, each student chooses two to three pieces of writing to revise and have published in an anthology of student work. 916 Ink publishes this book professionally and will hold a book release party when it is safe to do so. Each student receives two free copies, and additional copies are available for sale.
Dates:
Session 1: July 6-10 (Elementary grades 3-5)
Session 2: July 13-17 (Middle School grades 6-8)
Session 3: July 27-31 (Elementary grades 3-5)
Session 4: August 3-7 (Middle School grades 6-8)
Times:
Each session will have an A group and a B group
A group attends camp from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
B group attends camp from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
We take seriously the safety of the children we serve, their families, and the wider community. We have adapted the summer camp experience for heightened safety regarding COVID-19. Modifications and protocols include smaller class sizes to maintain 6 feet of distance between students’ work areas, ensuring students have their own supplies and are not using communal items, increased sanitization, temperature checks, and limiting outside visitors. To read more about our protocol, visit https://www.916ink.org/covid19.
As 916 Ink Executive Director Ian Hadley said, “Inspiring hope, connection, and positivity through creative self-expression has never been more needed. We have been busy over at 916 Ink adapting and innovating to continue reaching youth who may feel disconnected during this time.”
For more details and to register, please visit www.916ink.org/amplify.
916 Ink is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that has been serving the youth of the Sacramento area for nearly 10 years. Its mission is to empower youth through creative writing, and has helped more than 4,000 children and teenagers become confident writers.
Website: www.916ink.org
Email: info@916ink.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/916Ink
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/916ink/
Twitter: @916_INK
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