Photos by Hannah Reagan Photography
The Missoula Writing Collaborative administers a variety of programs for children and young adults. In all these programs we give young people the chance to explore their imaginations and discover that their voices matter, that the history of literature is a dialogue through the centuries, and that they belong in that dialogue. We give them personal and cultural literacy, which enlarges their worlds. Creative writing, and the creative thinking it draws on and inspires, gives children more options in every aspect of their lives. Those who have difficulty with the regular school curriculum discover unexpected skills. They learn to find their own true words and to form positive criticism of each other's writing. The success they experience goes across the curriculum, and they endeavor to recreate that success in other areas of their lives. We allow young people to rewrite the options and aspirations of their lives to a happier and more successful future.