Bronx Writers Corps

The OJJDP FY 10 Earmarks Program furthers the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Conference Report to accompany the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 111-366 at 702-714.

The mission of Bronx WritersCorps is to involve at-risk and incarcerated youth in meaningful language experience to help them discover the power of the written and spoken word, and tap into their creativity and discover personal strengths within themselves that they can build upon throughout their lives. The program provides teens with a hands-on introduction to literature, the spoken word, public presentation and publishing with the purpose of opening their future choices to include education and careers in the literary or publishing worlds. WritersCorps places writers in juvenile justice sites for incarcerated teens, temporary housing shelters for homeless families, and afterschool programs. WritersCorps selects professional writers for instructors who are proficient in the literary arts and have extensive experience working with at-risk youth on a community and/or the juvenile justice system. Over the past fifteen years, poetry has been the preferred literary form requested by the participants and taught by the instructors, but all genres are made available and encouraged through WritersCorps. Through pre- and post- participation surveys the program will be able to track changes in goal setting, skill development, and leisure time activities as well as improvements in reading and writing. NCA/NCF