Information for Parents & Students

Young Writers' Camp (YWC)

The San Diego Area Writing Project offers a variety of 5-day and 8-day programs for young writers. 2023 YWC information coming next April!

We no longer mail YWC registration forms. Registration will be via Eventbrite.

YWC Scholarship Opportunities

A limited number of partial scholarships are available for students based on financial need. Applications are not currently available. Please contact the SDAWP for information.

Helpful Writing Tools

Wealth O' Websites (PDF) - Publishing opportunities for young writers

How to Respond to Writing (PDF) - Tips for responding to student writing

10 Ideas That Get Kids Writing (PDF) - Great ideas for parents to engage in writing with their children (K-12) from the National Writing Project. Pull out the writing journal, grab your favorite writing tool and establish family writing time!

Youth Voices - Youth Voices is a school-based social network that was started in 2003 by a group of National Writing Project teachers. We are a site for conversations. We invite youth of all ages to voice their thoughts about their passions, to explain things they understand well, to wonder about things they have just begun to understand, and to share discussion posts with other young people using as many different genres and media as they can imagine!

Resources from the National Writing Project

Helping Your Children Become Confident, Skilled Writers, In and Beyond School

The National Writing Project believes that learning to write well is one of the most challenging tasks for anyone, regardless of age. It takes time, practice, and lots of encouragement. Parents and teachers can help children develop their skills and, equally important, a love for words and writing. Every child can and should learn to write. However, the process of learning to write often seems mysterious. Many former students remember with frustration the red marks on their grade-school papers and the expectation that they simply fix whatever was "wrong" and get it "right" the next time.

What should parents look for in a good school writing program? There are differences that occur when writing is simply assigned and when writing is authentically taught. Because Writing Matters, a book the National Writing Project co-authored with journalist Carl Nagin on the status of writing instruction in America, is an excellent resource for parents.