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Partnering Writers in the Community with Students in the Classroom
The Writers’ League strives to foster literary appreciation in children by bringing established writers into public schools. This effort, known as Project WISE (Writers in Schools for Enrichment), is offered at no cost to participating schools and students. Since its beginning over a decade ago, this program has impacted more than 50,000 students and continues to add to that impressive number every year.
Project WISE is funded by the City of Austin Cultural Arts division and facilitated by the Writers’ League of Texas. Participating campuses must be public schools within the Austin city limits. (Note: Schools do not need to have Title One status to enroll in the program.)
Recent schools we have visited include: Allison Elementary, Anderson High School, Anderson Mill Elementary, Austin Discovery School, Bailey Middle School, Baranoff Elementary, Barbara Jordan ECP, Barrington Elementary, Baty Elementary, Blanton Elementary, Blazier Elementary, Brentwood Elementary, Brooke Elementary, Brook Hollow Elementary, Casey Elementary, Cook Elementary, Creedmoor Elementary, Del Valle Elementary, Delco Primary School, Dobie Pre-K, Fulmore Middle School, Galindo Elementary, Gilbert Elementary, Govalle Elementary, Graham Elementary, Guerrero Thompson Elementary, Harris Elementary, Hart Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, Joslin Elementary, Kocurek Elementary, Lamar Middle School, Lee Elementary, Maplewood Elementary, Martin Middle, McBee Elementary, Newton Collins Elementary, and more.
Authors for Project WISE include: Salima Alikhan, Jessica Lee Anderson, Chris Barton, Ron Bates, Cate Berry, Sam Bond, Donna Janell Bowman, Paige Britt, Anne Bustard, Katherine Catmull, Samantha Clark, Carolyn Cohagan, Jeff Crosby, Amber Elby, Lalena Fisher, Carolyn Flores, Jason Gallaher, Keith Graves, Lila Guzman, Martha Hannah, Bethany Hegedus, K.A. Holt, P.J. Hoover, Shelley Ann Jackson, Varian Johnson, Daniel Kilday, Susan Kralovansky, Kathryn Kronenberg, Lindsey Lane, Cynthia Levinson, Nikki Loftin, Minia Lopez, Marianne Mancusi, Mark Mitchell, Cory Putman Oakes, Carmen Oliver, Jane Peddicord, Lupe Ruiz-Flores, Liz Garton Scanlon, Greg Leitich Smith, Christina Soontornvat, Mary C Sullivan, Don Tate, Emma Virjan, Jo Whittemore, Deirdre Williams, and Jennifer Ziegler.
If you are an Austin-area public educator or librarian and wish to participate in this program, or if you are a published writer and would like to join our roster of presenters, please contact Kelsey Williams, Project WISE Coordinator, at projectwise@writersleague.org.
This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department. Visit Austin at NowPlayingAustin.com.
“I really appreciate WLT for providing this opportunity as it promotes a love and value for literacy and art. WLT has given my school a precious gift with this author visit.”
The Writers’ League of Texas strives to foster literary appreciation in children by bringing established writers into public schools. This effort, known as Project WISE (Writers in Schools for Enrichment), is offered at no cost to participating schools and students. Since 2006, this program has impacted more than 65,000 students and continues to add to that impressive number every year.
Recent schools we have visited include:
Allison Elementary, Anderson High School, Anderson Mill Elementary, Austin Discovery School, Bailey Middle School, Baranoff Elementary, Barbara Jordan ECP, Barrington Elementary, Baty Elementary, Blanton Elementary, Blazier Elementary, Brentwood Elementary, Brooke Elementary, Brook Hollow Elementary, Casey Elementary, Cook Elementary, Creedmoor Elementary, Del Valle Elementary, Delco Primary School, Dobie Pre-K, Fulmore Middle School, Galindo Elementary, Gilbert Elementary, Govalle Elementary, Graham Elementary, Guerrero Thompson Elementary, Harris Elementary, Hart Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, Joslin Elementary, Kocurek Elementary, Lamar Middle School, Lee Elementary, Maplewood Elementary, Martin Middle, McBee Elementary, Newton Collins Elementary, and more.
Past & Current Project WISE Authors include:
Salima Alikhan, Jessica Lee Anderson, Chris Barton, Ron Bates, Cate Berry, Sam Bond, Donna Janell Bowman, Paige Britt, Anne Bustard, Katherine Catmull, Samantha M. Clark, Carolyn Cohagan, Jeff Crosby, Amber Elby, Lalena Fisher, Carolyn Flores, Greg Foley, Keith Graves, Jacob Grovey, Lila Guzman, Martha Hannah, Bethany Hegedus, K.A. Holt, P.J. Hoover, Shelley Ann Jackson, Varian Johnson, Jason June, Laekan Zea Kemp, Daniel Kilday, Susan Kralovansky, Kathryn Kronenberg, Lindsey Lane, Lindsay Leslie, Cynthia Levinson, Nikki Loftin, Minia Lopez, Marianne Mancusi, Mark Mitchell, Jasminne Mendez, Cory Putman Oakes, Carmen Oliver, Sajni Patel, Jane Peddicord, Sean Petrie, Lupe Ruiz-Flores, Liz Garton Scanlon, Greg Leitich Smith, Joy Selak, Christina Soontornvat, Mary C Sullivan, Don Tate, Alex Temblador, Emma Virján, Jo Whittemore, Marit Weisenberg, Deirdre Williams, Anne Wynter, and Jennifer Ziegler.
If you are an Austin-area public educator or librarian and wish to participate in this program, or if you are a published author and would like to join our roster of presenters, please email our Project WISE coordinator at projectwise@writersleague.org.
This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department. Visit Austin at NowPlayingAustin.com.
— Heather Stephens, Librarian, McBee Elementary
Students responded enthusiastically to such an immersive and participatory author presentation. What a great way of valuing students’ voices and validating them as writers.
Students responded enthusiastically to such an immersive and participatory author presentation. What a great way of valuing students’ voices and validating them as writers. 
