New Roads Student Launches First "Write On! Symposium" for Young Change Makers
New Roads senior Amanda Gorman has spent all year organizing her Senior Project, the first ever Write On! Language and Leadership Symposium. On Saturday, April 23, 2016, Write On at New Roads School will host presentations, break out sessions led by teen writers, and panel discussions by a diverse range of writers who use their pens creatively to advocate for nonviolent social change. THE EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL STUDENTS.
The symposium is presented by One Pen One Page, a nonprofit founded by Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman in her senior year at New Roads as she thought about New Roads' philosophy. The community aims to accomplish social change by elevating the voices and stories of young people, especially those of historically marginalized groups. OPOP aims to put the narratives of people of color, women, and the LGBTQ community at the forefront, rather than in the shadows.
Amanda says: "Growing up with a speech impediment, I often felt voiceless, and being black, young, and a woman in a prejudiced society didn't help. Writing and storytelling not only helped me express myself and overcome my speech impediment, but enabled me to to advocate for change at New Roads and in Los Angeles during my tenure as LA Youth Poet Laureate. This year the New Roads Senior Project gave me the support to found my community project, One Pen One Page, to give a space and platform where all youth, no matter skin, gender, or orientation, can use creativity and storytelling to speak up for and voiceless."
One Pen One Page hosts an online teen-led lit mag, and has creative writing programs and Reading Rewards initiatives in the U.S., Afghanistan, and Kenya. This summer the campaign is launching an international OPOP Chapter Program.
The symposium is presented by One Pen One Page, a nonprofit founded by Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman in her senior year at New Roads as she thought about New Roads' philosophy. The community aims to accomplish social change by elevating the voices and stories of young people, especially those of historically marginalized groups. OPOP aims to put the narratives of people of color, women, and the LGBTQ community at the forefront, rather than in the shadows.
Amanda says: "Growing up with a speech impediment, I often felt voiceless, and being black, young, and a woman in a prejudiced society didn't help. Writing and storytelling not only helped me express myself and overcome my speech impediment, but enabled me to to advocate for change at New Roads and in Los Angeles during my tenure as LA Youth Poet Laureate. This year the New Roads Senior Project gave me the support to found my community project, One Pen One Page, to give a space and platform where all youth, no matter skin, gender, or orientation, can use creativity and storytelling to speak up for and voiceless."
One Pen One Page hosts an online teen-led lit mag, and has creative writing programs and Reading Rewards initiatives in the U.S., Afghanistan, and Kenya. This summer the campaign is launching an international OPOP Chapter Program.
Topics include:
Fashion and poetry
Writing in a World of Technology
Blogging about Intersectional Feminism
Vlogs, Blogs, and Social Media
Representation in Narratives and Comic Books
Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Poetry Reviews
Poetry, Voice, Passion
Defying stereotypes
Honorary Chair United States Poet Laureate and special guests invite students in Grades 8 through 12 to participate in this inspiring event.
Fashion and poetry
Writing in a World of Technology
Blogging about Intersectional Feminism
Vlogs, Blogs, and Social Media
Representation in Narratives and Comic Books
Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Poetry Reviews
Poetry, Voice, Passion
Defying stereotypes
Honorary Chair United States Poet Laureate and special guests invite students in Grades 8 through 12 to participate in this inspiring event.
When: April 23, 9am
Where: The Moss Theater, 3131 Olympic Blvd. Santa Monica CA 90404
For more information, please visit www.onepenonepage.org.
Where: The Moss Theater, 3131 Olympic Blvd. Santa Monica CA 90404
For more information, please visit www.onepenonepage.org.
New Roads School is a college preparatory K-12 private independent school in Santa Monica, CA, serving over 514 elementary school, middle school and high school children from the greater Los Angeles area. New Roads School provides an inspired educational program from which an authentically diverse student population, mirroring the rich diversity of Los Angeles, develops a personal dedication to learning, a respect for independent thinking, and an expanding curiosity about the world and its people.
NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS New Roads School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.