Yes, It's 2018, But the 2017 5th ed. of POW! is Here (All Lateness Can Be Blamed on Me)

I believe it is this - THIS - publication of POW! Power of Words, the anthology of summer programs conducted by CWP-Fairfield - that brings a culmination to the school year that just was. I don't get summers off, and my school year blends with all the work of June, July, and August.

So, this, THIS, collection of student writing resulted from the 2017 summer programs - the Young Adult Literacy Labs at Fairfield University. Caryn, my program manager, and I have been editing whenever we can over the last 8 months. Alas, the work as an assistant professor, working towards associate, kept getting in the way of completing the task at hand.

The last few weeks delivered many projects I've been working on for the last several years, and this is the last of them to come in - it is the writing of 220 young people who participated in our summer programs in 2017. I'm so impressed by the writing the kids accomplish, but even more stoked that the instruction they receive from teachers is truly remarkable. My job is easy, because they have had such incredible writers and educators.

In 2014, we switched everything in our summer programs for youth and it has made a tremendous difference. For the last 5 years I've watched the work get better and better and better, but that is because our models and expectations become more and more tuned.

In 4 weeks, we kick off the 6th year of the Young Adult Literacy Labs reconstruction. I love the work because I can teach the text we produce. Every piece of writing, 3rd - 12th grade, is stellar. The stories behind the writing are even more remarkable.

I'm going into my Wednesday with a tremendous smile on my face. There's a lot of work and energy that went into this production - it is some of the greatest work we do each year!

Congratulations, writers!