(AFTERNOONS: for teens) Have you ever seen the television show Whose Line is It Anyway? and thought, “I’d like to do that!” Here’s your chance! Comedy improvisation is the art of acting without a script. You will try many theatre games, sometimes plugging in audience suggestions, with the result being at best hilarious and at […]
(MORNINGS: for ages 5-7) Get to know...YOU, through the great world of books. Stories can help us to take a closer look at our own thoughts and feelings and to appreciate moments of joy and face moments of challenge. We’ll read stories together as a group, create art, and use creative movement to understand and […]
(MORNINGS: for ages 8-11) Flash fiction is a very short form of story writing. Every word is essential. These stories have all the parts: character, setting, and plot but in a nutshell. We’ll learn to hook the reader and then, through an unexpected twist, leave the reader wanting more. In writing our own pieces, we’ll […]
(MORNINGS: for ages 14+) Hermit crab?! What does this creature have to do with creative writing?! Just as the hermit crab finds a new home in a shell that once belonged to another animal, writing of any genre (poetry, fiction, nonfiction) can find a home in different shaped “shells” or forms. In this camp, students […]
(MORNINGS: for ages 10-13) In this camp students will express themselves in writing, using nature as a unique source of inspiration! We will travel outdoors to explore, observe, record, and discuss all that nature has to offer. In addition to exploring the local neighborhood, we might take a city bus excursion to Highland Park, Pinnacle […]
(AFTERNOONS: for ages 8-11) Come on a journey to explore the larger than life, super-powered gods, heroes, and beasts of many cultures such as Celtic, Eastern Indian, Norse, African, and Asian. We will share stories from Korwin Briggs’ Gods and Heroes and enjoy flipping through the Myth Match: A Fantastical Flipbook of Extraordinary Beasts. Learn […]
(AFTERNOONS: ages 5-7) Rhythm, rhyme, bright descriptions, thoughtful words! Studying poetry can inspire children to love language, help build literacy, and deepen empathy. By reading aloud as a group and studying poetry, children will learn how to express their emotions. We will explore poems for children by a range of authors and experiences—like Nikki Grimes, […]
(AFTERNOONS: for teens) We all know and love Young Adult novels, but where are the plays featuring strong teenage protagonists? This class hopes to fill the void! We’ll read scenes from contemporary plays that feature compelling teen characters, and talk about how to write dramatic structure, engaging dialogue, and perception shifts. Whether you’re drawn to […]
(AFTERNOONS: for ages 10-13) What could be better than seeing your favorite series stretching out along the library shelf, going on and on? What could beat the thrill of a favorite author releasing a new novel? How about writing your own serial adventure? Whether you want to build on a favorite series or create your […]
(AFTERNOONS: for ages 14+) Using Claudia Rankine’s book Citizen: An American Lyric, which recounts acts of racism in lyrical prose poems, as a jumping off point, we will engage in discussion and writing around racial, identity, and social justice issues. We will examine the question of what makes a person the “other.” Through open, ongoing […]
(MORNINGS: for ages 14+) What makes Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, or Twilight’s Bella and Edward so real and beloved? Bringing characters to life in words can feel almost magical. We'll create some of that magic through fun exercises, discussions, videos, and lots of writing. You’ll learn to develop unique, dynamic, and passionate characters from the […]
(MORNINGS: ages 8-11) Artists carry sketchbooks to capture ideas with drawings. Writers carry journals to capture thoughts and experiences with words. In this camp, we will gather pictures and words in our own special “idea books” in order to explore ways in which art and words can work together. We will take walks in the […]
(ALL DAY: for ages 13-16) NOTE: Meets at RCTV, 21 Gorham Street Over the course of this week-long camp, students transform into cast and crew to make their own short movie based on a Newbery Medal-winning book. You will learn how to run cameras, set up lights, operate audio equipment, direct, and edit. Oh, and […]
(ALL DAY: for ages 9-12) Percy Jackson is mighty with his sword; his creator, Rick Riordan, is mighty with his pen. Try the writing methods Riordan used to weave a siren spell on you! Prepare by reading the first book of the series, The Lightning Thief. We will mine it for models of how to […]
(ALL DAY: for ages 10-15) ‘As luck would have it, ASL is a language of moving pictures’ - Kenny Lerner & Peter Cook, The Flying Words Project Calling would-be filmmakers! In this two-week-long camp, Deaf and hard of hearing campers get an incredible opportunity to create your own short films! Under the careful guidance of […]
(ALL DAY: for ages 12-14) Do you enjoy arguing . . . in defense of your ideas? Are you endlessly curious? What about searching for what lies beneath the surface? If so, this is the camp for you! Become a modern- day philosopher, learning how to debate and write creatively. Your personal journal will help […]
(AFTERNOONS: for ages 14+) Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley in a competition with her husband and a friend to write the best horror story, is an early example of science fiction and, some have argued, the first true science fiction story. In this camp, we will use Frankenstein as a springboard to discuss the science […]
(AFTERNOONS: for ages 8-11) Last year, 2018 marked the 200th birthday of Frederick Douglass, and here in Rochester we will continue to honor his legacy. This camp will celebrate heroes around the world who stand up for justice and freedom. We will learn about local heroes in our history like Susan B. Anthony and Frederick […]
(MORNINGS: ages 12-14) A dystopia is an imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice, but is it really just imagined – or do we currently live in a dystopian society? In this camp, we will discuss the background and history of the genre of dystopian fiction with special attention to […]
(MORNINGS: for ages 14+) Are you a comics or manga fan eager to tell your own stories combining words and pictures? Together we’ll explore how to write a dynamic and visual plot, create compelling characters, script lifelike dialogue, and conceive action-oriented illustrations that leap to life on the page. No matter what your writing or […]
(MORNINGS: for ages 8-11) Books, books, books, and more books! We will read—in the classroom, outside under a tree, nestled in a cozy corner. We’ll read with a community of readers, we’ll pick favorite passages to share aloud, we’ll listen, and we’ll discuss our own very favorite books. What makes a book compelling? What draws […]
(ALL DAY: for ages 12+) NOTE: Meets at RCTV, 21 Gorham Street Imagine if the Twilight Zone or War of the Worlds was on the air today. In this weeklong camp, students will write and produce a thrilling audio play. Students will work together to create a riveting script, learn voice techniques, create sound effects […]
(AFTERNOONS: for ages 12-14) Slam Poetry is an art form where performance meets reality. It is used to show one's story, to speak and breathe life into a poem. Spoken word is an outlet. A voice for those to shine and bring words to life—from sharing a funny moment to grappling with challenges, from celebrating […]
(AFTERNOONS: for ages 14+) What if hackers used magic? Or ghosts explored space? Maybe aliens have already come to Earth but live inside our smartphones. Some worlds are stranger—and faster—than others. In this class we’ll take fantasy and sci-fi world-building to a new level by combining it with flash fiction. Students will craft short works […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $150 Deadline to Register: June 22, 11:59 PM Instructors: Emma Lynge & Ben Callahan Age Group: 13-16 Calling all quest-seekers! What do collaborative role playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and writing have to do with each other? Quite a […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $105 Deadline to Register: June 22, 11:59 PM Instructors: Rashida Burch-Washington & John Watson Age Group: 12+ Imagine if the Twilight Zone or War of the Worlds was on the air today. In this weeklong camp, we will write and […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $83 Deadline to Register: June 29, 11:59 PM Instructor: Alexa Scott-Flaherty Age Group: 7-9 Do you enjoy pretending to be other people, putting yourself into someone else’s life and experiences? Through games and age-appropriate scene work, young actors will investigate […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: June 29, 11:59 PM Instructor: Katherine Varga Age Group: 14+ Think of this as a book club where, instead of discussing novels, we discuss musicals. From Sondheim to Six, musical theatre can be more than just […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: June 29, 11:59 PM Instructor: Rylie Day Age Group: 12-14 How many words do you need to create a compelling story? Fewer than you think! Flash fiction is the art of crafting a story in which […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Precios de Miembros/Member Price: $125 Fecha Limite para Registarse/Deadline to Register: June 29, 11:59 PM La Instructora/Instructor: Neyda Colón-DiMaria Grupo de edad/Age Group: 10-13 Todos tenemos una historia y ahora necesitamos unirnos para contarlas porque cada cuento importa. Durante este programa vamos […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: June 29, 11:59 PM Instructor: Caren Barth Age Group: 10-13 What is better than seeing your favorite series stretching out along the library shelf, going on and on? What beats the thrill of a favorite author […]
Member Price: $260 Deadline to Register: June 29, 11:59 PM Instructor: Rashida Burch-Washington & John Watson Age Group: 9-16 SW 19 pic 3 Over the course of this 2 week-long camp, students transform into a virtual cast and crew to make a short movie based on a Newbery Medal-winning book. You will learn how to […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: July 6, 11:59 PM Instructor: Wendy Low Age Group: 12-14 Whether you aspire to write fantasy, science fiction, historical, or contemporary realist novels, you’ll want to develop the skills and discover the tools that successful fiction […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: July 6, 11:59 PM Instructor: Kimberly Morgan Age Group: 8-11 Popular books like Wonder, El Deafo, The Hunger Games, Cinder, and the Percy Jackson Series all portray characters with disabilities and tell a story about how […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $42 Deadline to Register: July 6, 11:59 PM Instructor: Alexa Scott-Flaherty Age Group: 5-7 Stories, books, and poems are our first doorway into a magical world as young people, and this camp will celebrate the MAGIC of going into our […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: July 6, 11:59 PM Instructor: Marna Rossi Age Group: 8-11 When New York middle school student Percy Jackson finds out he is a Demi-god, the Greek myths come alive in a way he never before imagined! […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: July 6, 11:59 PM Instructor: Rylie Day Age Group: 8-11 Flash fiction is a very short form of story writing where every word becomes essential. This genre has all the parts of a story—characters, setting, and […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $162 Deadline to Register: July 19, 5 PM Instructors: Chris Fanning & guests Age Group: 8-10 "Come immerse yourself in the world of Harry Potter! This brand-new workshop is for young wizards and witches who haven’t yet read the full […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: July 19, 5 PM Instructor: Melissa Michal Slocum Age Group: 14+ Are you passionate about important social topics and silenced voices? Can you see robots taking over the world, or creatures trying to steal each other’s […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: July 19, 5 PM Instructor: Katherine Varga Age Group: 12-14 Do you love theater? Have you always wished you could see the characters and stories in your head come to life in front of you? Then […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $42 Deadline to Register: July 19, 5 PM Instructor: Alexa Scott-Flaherty Age Group: 5-7 Be a change-maker! We all have the power to make the world a better place, one action at a time. And stories, true and fictional, have […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $83 Deadline to Register: July 19, 5 PM Instructor: Sara Bickweat Penner Age Group: 9-12 Calling young thespians! Are you a world builder, a lover of language, a reader with a flare for expression and imagination? We’ll spend the week […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: July 19, 5 PM Instructor: Melissa Michal Slocum Age Group: 12-14 Do you like creating weird stories? Are you interested in odd plots, characters, and places that you don’t see in other books? Do you like […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: July 19, 5 PM Instructor: Rylie Day Age Group: 8-11 Have you ever wondered what it's like living in a magical world, like that of Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, or The Borrowers? How do we […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $215 Deadline to Register: July 23, 5 PM Instructor: Christine Green Age Group: 14+ Are you considering a career as an auror? Do you look up to the members of the Order of the Phoenix? Do you wish you had […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $215 Deadline to Register: July 20, 5 PM Instructors: Chris Fanning, Rylie Day, Katherine Varga, Alexa Scott-Flaherty, Tracy Cretelle, Tracy Nemecek, Jamie Bozek, Sara Bickweat Penner, Michelle LaVarnway, Ben Callahan, Sarah Brown, Paul Moyer, and David Broadnax Age Group: 8-13 […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: August 2, 5 PM Instructor: Almeta Whitis Age Group: 14+ Using Claudia Rankine’s book Citizen: An American Lyric as a jumping off point, we will engage in discussion and writing around racial identity and social justice […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: August 2, 5 PM Instructor: Alex Sanchez Age Group: 14+ What makes Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, or Twilight’s Bella and Edward so real and beloved? Bringing characters to life in words can feel almost magical. We'll […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $145 Deadline to Register: August 2, 5 PM Instructor: Lisa Johnson & Kate Whorton Age Group: 8-11 In this collaboration between Writers & Books and the Flower City Arts Center, you’ll have a unique opportunity to merge visual arts with […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: August 2, 5 PM Instructor: Julie Donofrio Age Group: 12+ Have you ever seen a stand up comedy routine, a comedic monologue, or a funny speech and thought, “That looks like fun”? It is fun, and […]
