Earlier this semester, poet Patricia Smith joined us at Shortridge to read her powerful work and discuss her life as a mother, fighter, and writer. Patricia graciously offered to accompany the Writing In The Schools team following her appearance as part of the Butler University Visiting Writers’ Series. After checking out the storied halls of the famous Indianapolis institution, Patricia entertained and enlightened a group of about 40 students in Mrs. Tipton’s last period English class, many of whom chimed in with insightful questions in between moving readings of poems that spanned her career – from her early days as a spoken-word superstar to her turn as a literary darling with the publication of 2008’s Blood Dazzler, a National Book Award Finalist.

After the final bell rang signifying the end of the school day, Patricia was able to spend about 30 minutes with our Exclusive Ink group to start our after-school session before needing to leave for the airport. She recited her gritty poem “The Undertaker” from memory, leaving our students with a sterling example of how to make writing come alive, as well as a call to arms to rise above the temptations and troubles that often keep teenagers from reaching their full potential.

We thank Patricia greatly for reaching out to the students of Shortridge and for helping us to further the scope of our program. It was truly an unforgettable experience for all involved.

Wonderful news, published first on the Butler University website:

The Jerry L. And Barbara J. Burris Foundation has awarded Butler University a $30,000 grant, payable over three years, to support the Butler/IPS partnership.

Butler University’s MFA in Creative Writing program was awarded $15,000 of the grant to continue its year-old Writing in the Schools program with students at the Indianapolis Public Schools’ Shortridge Magnet High School for Law and Public Policy.

The Writing in the Schools portion of the grant will be used to support graduate assistants who conduct the program’s creative writing workshops, buy computer equipment, provide after-school snacks for Shortridge students who participate, and publish a book of the students’ writing.

“We published Exclusive Ink last year, a volume of student writing, and we certainly hope to expand that this year with this generous support,” said Butler English Department faculty member Susan Sutherlin, who supervises Writing in the Schools. “That was the first literary magazine at Shortridge since 1988. So I feel like Shortridge is back in business as a place that has a reputation for writing.”

Butler MFA students and undergraduates tutor 30-40 Shortridge students each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, instructing them in prose and poetry and also help with homework when needed. Butler students worked with about 300 Shortridge students last year.

The Jerry L. And Barbara J. Burris Foundation was established in Indiana in 1994. The Foundation’s giving is based primarily in Indianapolis, Indiana with some giving in Naples, Florida with a focus on supporting youth services, human services, museums, and education.

To this we say, thank you so very, very much to the Burris Foundation. Your generosity will help us to continue developing the Writing In The Schools program in new and exciting ways.

It’s been a great semester for the Writing In The Schools project. Although we’re mostly proud of packing in more students for our after-school Exclusive Ink group and witnessing the amazing strides they seem to make each week, we’re also appreciative of the recent publicity that our program has received.

In the past month alone, an article highlighting our Jefferson Award graced the front page of the Butler University website, the Butler Collegian published a feature about the development of Writing In The Schools, and the Shortridge Daily Echo stopped by our room for the Q and A.

Although we’re not in it for the attention, seeing the word spread about our program helps to validate the efforts of our dedicated volunteers, who have made Writing In The Schools a force to be reckoned with. Also, we never get tired of talking about how awesome the Shortridge students are. It’s great that people outside of the school are starting to take note.

The Jefferson Awards are a prestigious national recognition system honoring community and public service in America. The Jefferson Awards are presented on two levels: national and local. They began in 1972 to create a Nobel Prize for public service. Today, their primary purpose is to serve as a “Call to Action for Volunteers” in local communities.

On Thursday, February 9, 2012, the students and faculty of Shortridge High School recognized Butler’s Writing in the Schools program with this award.

Yesterday started out as a cloudy Thursday. By noon, Doug Manuel, one of our graduate student assistants, and I were power shopping for bologna and cheese, the after-school program snack, at the Safeway. Next, the ultimate surprise. An hour and a half later, we were on the auditorium stage at Shortridge in front of a crowd of more than 900 students and faculty members to accept the Jefferson Award for Public Service on behalf of Butler Writers.

We are so grateful for this validation that we are making a difference, so grateful for each of our students and volunteers sharing their talents and energy to forge such strong relationships with these amazing kids in such a short time. I am in awe of each of you. Bravo.

—Susan Sutherlin, faculty, Writing in the Schools

Want a concise article about what the Writing in the Schools Butler/Shortridge project is all about? Look no further than today’s Indianapolis Star. Thanks to Alyssa and Danese for working with us to get the word out.

They’re getting on the write track
by Alyssa Karas, Star correspondent