Script Frenzy Young Writer's Program

Back in October I told you about NaNoWriMo's Young Writers Program, and how it can be used in the classroom.  Well for any of you who participated in November's novel challenge, you probably have heard of Script Frenzy.  This post is for the rest of you.
April is Script Frenzy month. Like it's counter part in NaNoWriMo in November, it is a whole month dedicated to writing. Except this month's goal is to write 100 pages of a original scripted material (for example a screenplay, stage play, TV show, short film, or graphic novel), instead of a 50,000 word novel. Also, as with NaNoWriMo, they have a Young Writer's Program for this event. Again this Young Writer's Program version offers kids an chance to set their own goals and work in groups. (Where as with the adult group requires that you write the full 100 pages.) They also offer tons of helpful resources.  From workbooks for kids, based on their grade level. (It is separated into three categories, Elementary, Middle, or High School) to How-to guides based on what kind of scripted material you are interested in writing, and much more.
Again it is also a great program for teachers to present in the classroom or as an after school program. They provide free lesson plans and a free Script Frenzy Classroom Kit. (it comes with a progress chart, and button and stuff) And they offer forums for teachers to be able to connect with each other and share ideas. They also have the NEO lending program again. (The NEO they lend out is basically a kid friendly laptop/word processor that the kids in the class can use to type up their stories on) And unfortunately again I am late on that one too, the requests for the loaner program needed to be sent in by March 15th. However as with NaNoWriMo this doesn't mean that students can't participate.
As for the rest of us who aren't teachers and aren't writing the next great screen play? Why not offer to help organize getting together pens and paper for the children to write on? Volunteering to help encourage the kids to keep writing, or coming in and helping the teacher count pages or helping the kids brainstorm or even offering to read them over when they are finished? Maybe if you have an old typewriter or word processor lending it out to the class so the teacher can help them type up their work?  How 'bout even just bringing this to the attention of the teachers at your local schools?
As I said in October, in today's economy where classrooms sometimes are working with books and tools that are in desperate need of updating, and when funds are not there to do it with, this provides a new and innovative way to help encourage young writers. And helps give kids a fresh new way to learn.
So I encourage all of you  reading this to go check it out!
Here is the link once again for the Script Frenzy Young Writer's Program and also the link for the main Script Frenzy site.
Also in October there was a comment from one Robert C. Roman , that his students were thrilled to participate in the Young Writers Program for NaNoWriMo and I asked him to let me know how it turned out. Well some of his students met their goals!  Isn't that amazing? Currently he is looking for people to help beta read* some of the students work. Interested? Click here for more info .    Imagine how much it would mean to a kid to know that someone out there wants to read their work. Not only is it helping out a teacher, it is encouraging kids to use their imaginations, and even maybe to believe in themselves.  One of the most important things that I think gets over looked in this whole school funding mess is the kids. I know everyone says that the funding issue should be solved for them. But if everyone actually believed that it should be done for the kids, then why is there even an issue in the first place.
K, sorry slipped onto my soap box. :) Anyway be sure to check out Script Frenzy's Young Writer's Program, and if you're interested in Beta reading for some hard working kids, be sure to stop by Robert Roman's blog and let him know!


* according to Yahoo! Answers a beta reader is A beta reader is a person who reads the same genre fiction that your writing is, and who offers you critical (both positive and negative) feedback.

NaNoWriMo's Young Writers Program

O.k. November 1st marks the beginning of NaNoWriMo.  National Novel Writing Month. The whole goal behind NaNoWriMo is for the people participating in it to write a 50,000 word novel by midnight of November 30th.  They catch is they can't start writing it until November 1st. This is a program I only first heard about last year and only this year realized how it helps our schools.  How? Easy.
NaNoWriMo has a program called NaNoWriMo's Young Writers Program. This program is specifically set up and designed for children 17 and under to participate.  Unlike its more adult oriented program kids can set their own word-count goals. Also it is able to be incorporated into a classroom curriculum. Best part, it's free to participate.   Their website provides educators with a virtual classroom to help them better work NaNoWriMo into the classroom. They also have a NEO lending program for classes that are unable to access the internet for the duration of NaNoWriMo. The NEO they lend out is basically a kid friendly laptop/word proccessor that the kids in the class can use to type up their stories on.  They also offer ways for kids to participate without using computers.
They also provide forums for teachers to communicate with one another about NaNoWriMo and workbooks for students to use to help them write their novels.
How does this relate to any of us??? Well it's free! It's a free curriculum for teachers who are strapted for cash and can't always afford some of the newer writing courses out there. It's also a great way to encourage kids to write and learn helpful organizational skills.  No time in the classroom? Why not start it as an after school program? They also offer free novel proof copies to kids that reach their word count goals.
As for the rest of us who aren't teachers? Why not offer to help organize getting together pens and paper for the children to write on? Volunteering to help encourage the kids to keep writing, or coming in and helping add up word counts for the kids after they are done writing.  Maybe if you have an old typewriter or word proccesor lending it out to the class so the teacher can help them type up their work?  How 'bout even just bringing this to the attention of the teachers at your local schools?
There are so many ways this can be applied to benefit schools and kids it's unbelievable.
Now, unfortunetly, I know the deadline for signing up to participate is a little more than 7 days away. And the deadline for applying for the NEO's is well past. However, NaNoWriMo is a yearly event that takes place every November. Go sign up, check it out. See if it's something that you, the teacher, could see working in your classroom. Parents your kids can sign up independantly of a classroom. Why not both you and your child sign up for it this year and see how it goes. Give it a test run. Then next year already be ahead of the game and be ready in September to see about talking to the teachers at the school and seeing if it would be something they are interested in.
In today's economy where classrooms sometimes are working with books and tools that are in desperate need of updating, and when funds are not there to do it with, this provides a new and innovative way to help encourage young writers. And helps give kids a fresh new way to learn.
So I encourage all of you  reading this to go check it out!
Again here are the links for NaNoWriMo's young Writers Program  and NaNoWriMo itself.