What is the JustWrite Program?

The JustWrite program is unique as it is multi-tiered. At its base, it is an educational program that assists schools within the platform of the written word. JustWrite directly supports the state Learning Standards particularly in writing “narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.” Instructional videos, mentor texts, and classroom resources are available to the teachers involved in this program. These resources encourage students to focus on plot development, character, dialogue, theme, genre, and more, all while learning how to use precise words and sensory language to convey vivid events. In addition to this, there is an opportunity for state-wide networking and professional development.

The JustWrite mission also looks to empower the often overlooked and underappreciated voices of teen high school students and aid them, through practice and experimentation, to tell their creative stories, thrive, and be heard. This adds the second tier to the program and is done through a multi-genre creative interpretation and written expression competition; students compose narratives and compete against other teen writers across the state at both the Regional and State level.

This competition celebrates all writers, but prizes are awarded to top writers and teams. There is also a celebration of poetry and the inner poet. By the end of the tournament season, our program recognizes the top student writers across each state and we honor the power their words have. Students have their work published in the JustWrite yearly anthology, “Collection of Voices” and this anthology showcases the creative outpourings of the students who compete.

Finally, the third tier of the JustWrite program is a commitment to literacy. JustWrite recognizes that in order to be a good writer, one needs to be a reader. By offering students and their coaches the opportunities to engage with published authors through workshops, online virtual meetups, and festivals, students get an inside look at the life and experiences of published authors.

For more information about your particular state’s program, visit the Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania websites.