Teens

Teens

Young writers have myriad opportunities to launch, explore, consume and create great writing at Hugo House. Our conservatory-model instruction encourages students to read as writers, to critique established work and the new work of their peers and to take risks with their writing while exploring voice and language. In our open writing circles, mentorship program, open mics, writing camps and literary events, we strive to create an innovative creative writing space for all youth.

All Hugo House programs, workshops and field trips are taught by professional, published writers who are also experienced teachers of the craft. Teens on the Youth Leadership Board help curate our teen course offerings, MC the teen open mic, Stage Fright, and offer peer-to-peer creative writing feedback to other young writers. All programs are free unless otherwise specified, and scholarships are available for our writing camps and field trips.

For more information on programs for youth at Hugo House, call (206) 322-7030, or email Becky Berryhill at beckyberryhill@hugohouse.org.

Write Time

Write Time Poetry  is a weekly drop-in writing circle meeting every Wednesday from 6-7 p.m.. facilitated by writer and teacher Karen Finneyfrock with occasional guest instructors.

Bring something you’re working on, or just come ready to write. This may be the most inspiring hour of your week.

Youth Leadership Board

Now accepting applications for the 2012/2013 Youth Leadership Board! Develop your leadership skills and earn community service hours as a member of Hugo House’s Youth Leadership Board! YLB members develop and promote Hugo House youth programs, organize and MC our youth open mic and other events, and offer peer-to-peer mentorship to other teen writers. For more information on the YLB and how to apply click here: http://hugohouse.org/content/youth-leadership-board

Date/time: 10 hrs/week, October 2012 – June 2013

Tuition: Free

Young Writers Mentorship Project

Apply now to be part of the 2012/2013 Young Writers Mentorship Project! YWMP is a free program that supports young writers by offering dynamic, individually focused, ongoing mentorship to teens in the Seattle area. During 9 months of weekly meetings with an accomplished adult mentor, young writers receive individual feedback on new or ongoing projects, as well as exercises to help expand their writing toolbox and challenge themselves to try new things. For more information on the program and how to apply click here.

Date/Time: Weekly or bi-weekly meetings, October 2012– June 2013

Tuition: Free

We are also looking for adult mentors! Click here to apply.

Youth New Works Competition

RICHARD HUGO HOUSE SEEKS poems, short stories or personal essays of no more than 1,000 words from students currently enrolled in grades 9-12. The winner will receive $100 and an invitation to read at the third Hugo Literary Series event on February 8, 2013, along-side artists Patricia Smith, Kelly Froh, Arlene Kim and Katie Kate.

THE THEME: All manuscripts must reflect the theme, Strong Female Leads, using the prompt below as a jumping-off point: Can you create a Strong Female Lead without killing someone in the process?

Submissions are due January 11, 2013

Stage Fright

Stage Fright is an open mic night open to all teen writers. Since 1997, Stage Fright has been the place to speak out! Writers share poetry, fiction, journals and songs and enjoy the work and camaraderie of their peers. Snacks, candlelight and a fearless MC round out the evening. Stage Fright now hosts featured spots for young artists. Sign up to read when you arrive.

Date/time: Second Wednesday of alternating months/7:30pm

Upcoming dates: October 10th, December 12th, February 13th, April 10th, June 12th

Tuition: Free

Download a poster here, and let your students, classmates and friends know about Stage Fright!

Scribes summer creative writing camp is an intensive two-week writing program for middle and high school students.

Applications for Scribes 2013 will be available in October. The early registration deadline is January 31, 2013; regular registration is April 30, 2013. For more information about Scribes, click here.

Date/time: Summer 2013 dates to be announced!

Tuition: $650. Scholarships are available and no one is turned away for lack of funds!

Spoken Word Camp is an intensive one-week performance poetry camp for teens. This camp will be holding its debut session over Seattle Public School’s spring break (April 15 – 20 2013). At Slam Camp you will pick up exercises and techniques to develop your voice as a writer and performer, get serious feedback from your instructors and peers, and meet established performance poets from around the northwest. Applications for Slam Camp 2013 will be available in October.

Date/time: April 15 – 20, 2012

Tuition: $325. Scholarships are available and no one is turned away for lack of funds!

Field Trips

Bring your class or group to Hugo House for an hour of creative writing instruction on anything from poetry to flash fiction to graphic novels to performance or beyond. We provide the prompts, the paper and the spotlights. You bring the talent.

For more information on curricula or to schedule a visit, contact Becky Berryhill, youth programs coordinator, at beckyberryhill@hugohouse.org or (206) 322-7030 ext. 108.

Date/time: You decide!

Tuition: We ask groups for a contribution of $10 per participant to cover instructor stipend and workshop costs. A scholarship may be available for your organization, and no group will be turned away for lack of funds!

Join Our Mailing List
Sign up for Hugo House's youth mailing list and receive announcements about Hugo House youth programs, events, publishing opportunities and contests for teen writers.
This hyperlink goes to the youth program’s coordinator from a few years ago. Please link it to my email, unless there is a way they can sign themselves up for the youth email list!!

Interested in joining Hugo House youth programs as an instructor? Email beckyberryhill@hugohouse.org.

The following is a poem from Ramsey Jester, the ‘11-‘12 youth writer-in-residence at Richard Hugo House. An aspiring performance poet, Ramsey founded The Spoken Word Room, a poetry program at his high school (Nathan Hale).

FROM SPACES BETWEEN
Sometimes I dream the world into motion,
from the stillness of moments like this.
I dream a mountain into movement,
couples into kiss.
And I whisper the secrets that make things grow,
all around me growing.
I grew a garden from my chest,
and dreamed a world
just like this.
 
Youth programs are supported, in part, by:
Amazon.com
Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs
The Maurer Family Foundation
Umpqua Bank