“Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can.
You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”

-Kurt Vonnegut

ABOUT THE YOUTH WRITING PROGRAM

In 2020, amidst one of the greatest pandemics in history, the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library birthed its youth writing center.

Our mission is to a offer space, at this time a virtual one, where writing mentors can engage with Indianapolis youth through the written word so that they can be inspired, empowered, and heard.

OUR MISSION WAS FOUNDED ON A FEW BELIEFS:

 – We believe that strong writing skills and the opportunity to write creatively can change a student’s trajectory.

 – We believe students who forge important mentoring relationships will see greater possibilities for their lives post-high school.

 – We believe that good youth writing programs give at-risk youth the technical writing, critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and empathy skills that are necessary in achieving and maintaining stable and meaningful employment.

KVML High School Writing Prompt presented by Lasana Kazembe, Assistant Professor of Education at IUPUI.

PARTNERS

Our writing center is affiliated with the International Alliance of Youth Writing Centers, which comes with the guidance of renowned author Dave Eggers.  We have partnered with Butler Writers and Shortridge High School (Kurt Vonnegut’s alma mater) for the 2020-2021 school year and are looking to create more partnerships with public schools and community organizations. 

SERVICES

Once fully operational, and when we are able to safely open our doors, we plan to offer the following services:

  • Writing workshops
  • After school youth writing lab
  • Summer and after school tutoring
  • SAT and college essay prep classes
  • Class field trips to the museum for unique writing projects

Here’s How You Can Get Involved:

    Volunteer to be a Mentor

While many writing centers are unable to train new volunteers because of the pandemic, we still want to know about you. To do this, we’ll be having periodic volunteer training sessions on Zoom which opens you up to any opportunities for in-person training. Email us at [email protected] for more information. 

    Bring KVML to Your Classroom

We’d love to collaborate with you. We may be able to visit your school in person or virtually. These visits can be tailored to meet your needs. Contact us at [email protected].

    Bring Your Class to KVML 

Contact [email protected]org for information on how to bring your students to KVML. 

    Pair Your Central Indiana Students with Writing Mentors

Do you have a student in your life who is seeking a writing mentor? Email us at [email protected] to put a student’s name on a list to be paired with a trusted and caring adult writing mentor.