Offering Young Writers a Community of Support
An Innovative Pilot Project for Aspiring Authors, grades 3-6
The educational nonprofits Maine College Circle (MeCC) and Story Preservation Initiative (SPI) have co-developed a highly collaborative pilot project titled This Is My World and My Hope for The Future: Nature that is set to launch in early 2024.
Project beneficiaries are young aspiring writers from underserved rural communities in Maine
This is My World begins by asking participating students to write a story on the subject of the natural world and its personal meaning to them. They will be guided through this exercise by the celebrated writer, artist, and naturalist David Carroll and by members of a MeCC/SPI assembled Editorial Board comprised of undergraduate and graduate level English and education majors from New England-based colleges and universities. The stories will be reviewed and judged by an Advisory Board made up of an esteemed group of writers working in various genres, including fiction, nonfiction, children’s book, newspaper, and poetry.
From Aspiring Writer to Published Author, Success Breeds Success - Advisory Board-selected winning stories will be published in a book, the design and printing of which will be funded by the Ellsworth (Maine) Rotary Club, other area civic organizations, and area businesses. The book will be distributed to participating Maine elementary schools and school and public libraries throughout the region.
Scholarships - Authors of the winning stories will be awarded a scholarship in amounts ranging from $250 to $1,000. Scholarships are awarded with the following stipulations: 50% of the awarded amount will be set aside for college costs and admissions expenses. 50% can be redeemed to support aspirations, and so can be redeemed in the year the scholarship is received or in subsequent years to purchase a program or resource that will help the student pursue their aspirations. Recipients may petition to redeem all of the scholarship to support their aspirations. All scholarships must be redeemed before the student reaches the age of 19.
Project Evaluation, Expansion, and Diversification - The impact of the pilot will be assessed via surveys and interviews with teachers/ students in the late spring of 2024. If successful other This is My World projects will follow, and SPI/MeCC will work together to expand the project into neighboring New England states.
Teamwork makes the dream work and we’re assembling quite a team! We’ll keep you posted as we near the launch date. However, If you want to know more now, feel free to get in touch with either MeCC or SPI via contact info on their respective websites. MeCC’s Mission: To inform and inspire early aspirations. To empower the youth of rural Maine to build a brighter future for themselves and for their communities. Information on Maine College Circle can be found by clicking here. SPI’s website can be accessed by clicking here.
SPI’s Mission: Story Preservation Initiative believes in the transformative power of story to connect people around our common humanity and create a better future.
Our Work: We are a leading producer and online distributor of original, content-rich audio-based narratives for K-12 students. SPI stories are the raw materials of history, roadmaps to scientific discovery, and windows to the minds of artists and skilled tradesmen and women.
What We Achieve: SPI brings listeners into personal contact with extraordinary people whose stories engage their hearts and minds, imparting content knowledge and fostering curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking as they open doors to possible career paths in professions associated with the arts, sciences, humanities, and skilled trades.
When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.