Things To Know
Virtual Platform: All camps will be conducted virtually, through Zoom. The week before the camp starts Zoom links will be sent to the email address used when registering. Unless otherwise noted, the same Zoom link can be used every day of the camp. We will be providing tips on using Zoom to all camp participants.
Group Size and Instructor Ratio: Camps are limited to a total enrollment of 12 or fewer students with the exception of a few specific camps. Most workshops are led by one adult teaching artist and one high school or college Apprentice.
Supplies: Unless otherwise noted in the description, students only need a pen and paper, and possible access to crayons, markers, or colored pencils. If these supplies are unavailable to your child for any reason, please contact summerwrite@wab.org for assistance. A limited number of our camps will have some special supplies that will be available for curbside pick-up, or that can be mailed to you. You will receive an email with more information before the start of your camp.
Breaks: All camps will have built-in breaks (approximately 15 minutes) where students can walk away from the screen, stretch, use the bathroom, get a snack, etc. Teaching artists will let students know when to return, and students should be prompt in their return. Camps will also take mini-stretch breaks together so students aren’t sitting still for an extended time period.
Supervision: Families are expected to be available to assist students with signing on to their virtual camps, should they need it. All students in the 5-7 age group must have a caregiver within earshot at all times in order to assist with any issues that may arise. The goal is to have the camper be independent in the camp, but since we are unable to be in the same room with students, it is essential that a caregiver is available to give support, should the need arise.
Attendance: Participants must arrive at their Zoom session on time in order to be checked in. Please notify us at summerwrite@wab.org if your child will be late, absent, or need to leave early.
Social Time: Part of the magic of SummerWrite is making connections with new friends. To help facilitate this, we will be offering two optional SummerWrite social times each day, open to anybody registered in camps that week. These will be supervised by Apprentices. They are designed to give students from different camps the chance to meet each other, play online games, and connect outside of the structure of the SummerWrite camps. We anticipate the timing to be as follows, though we will confirm details and a Zoom link in an email the week before camp starts:
- Morning Check In: 8:40 – 8:55
- Lunch Break: 12:10 – 12:50
Final Presentations and Anthologies: As we transition to Zoom for SummerWrite 2020, our teaching artists are hard at work coming up with creative ways to celebrate the work for each camp. Some camps may have a virtual final presentation or a digital anthology. We will keep in touch with families about these opportunities.
Payment: Full payment for each workshop, for each participant, plus membership fee if due, is required at time of initial registration.
Withdrawal Policy: A full refund is given in the event that W&B must cancel a class. If you withdraw up to one week before the first day of a class, W&B will give a full refund, minus a 10% administrative fee. Within one week of a class, W&B will refund 50% or give a full credit toward another class. After the first class and up to the day of the second class, W&B will refund 50% or give a pro-rated credit. After the second class, there will be no refunds or credits. Full refunds are available in the case of withdrawals due to the change from in-person camp to virtual.
Cancellation Procedure: In the rare event that a class has to be cancelled due to low enrollment or other unforeseeable circumstances, you will be notified as far in advance as possible.
Membership: It pays to be a member! Sign up for a student or household membership and receive discounts on SummerWrite classes, along with other benefits.
Scholarships: Writers & Books is committed to making our programs available to all members of the community. We offer partial and full scholarships based on need. Click HERE for our secure online scholarship
Summerwrite Blog: During the week(s) your child is in camp, we will provide a link to a daily blog where you can learn about the kinds of activities students are participating in.
Accessibility: Writers & Books welcomes and encourages people with disabilities, as well as Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, to participate in our programs. If you would like to make a request for any accommodation, such as captioning, please email us at summerwrite@wab.org or accommodation@wab.org at least 10 days prior to the workshop.
Questions?: Please don’t hesitate to be in touch with us!
- Registration questions, contact Visitor Services: office@wab.org
- Camp logistics questions, contact our SummerWrite Coordinator: summerwrite@wab.org
- Curriculum questions, contact our Director of Youth Education: sallyb@wab.org
Youth Education Statement
At Writers & Books, joy is at the heart of all of our youth-related programs. We support our students in their quest to find their voices and share them. We seek to foster creativity in our youth as well as fine-tune the mechanics of their writing and other literary skills. Being involved in the creative process and the literary arts nurtures important human qualities including observation, critical thinking, imagination, and empathy. Our programs stretch our young people and ask them to grow in all of these areas, requiring risk-taking within a safe environment. We are here to plant the seeds which will hopefully continue to grow throughout a lifetime.