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The Grand Rapids Creative Youth Center (CYC) offers after school creative writing programming to Grand Rapids youth (1st graders-High School Seniors) at no cost to families. Come join the adventure!

The CYC offers five & six week after school class rotations for school-aged students (1st grade – High School Seniors.) CYC classes will continue to align with the Grand Rapids Public School Schedule. In the 2019-2020 school year the CYC will host 4 six week cycles on the following dates :

Fall 1 : September 23-November 4 – 6 weeks – complete

Fall 2 : November 11-December 19 – 5 weeks – in progress

Winter : January 27-March 5 – 6 weeks, registration forms available at noon on December 16 by email request to kait@creativeyouthcenter.org Priority will be given to returning CYC students and students enrolled in Grand Rapids Public Schools until January 6. Registration will be honored on a first come first serve basis. Registration will close one week prior to the class start date OR when the class fills.

Spring : April 13-May 21 – 6 weeks, registration forms available at noon on March 16 by email request to kait@creativeyouthcenter.org Priority will be given to returning CYC students and students enrolled in Grand Rapids Public Schools until April 30. Registration will be honored on a first come first serve basis. Registration will close one week prior to the class start date OR when the class fills.

In all classes students will work to write and edit content for The Book of Explosions, the CYC’s annual anthology of student writing. Students explore various genres and techniques, learning about poetry, narrative, or nonfiction. Classes will focus on the following curriculum goals:

Weeks 1-3 : learn, play, experiment, create !

Week 4-5 : finish, polish and edit !

Week 5-6 : fine-tune and share !

General program days and times are as follows:

Mondays :

• Afterschool Adventure – 3rd-5th grade – at Jubilee Jobs in the Baxter Community Center
  • Book Club 4-5 pm (8 spots)
  • Creative Writing 5-6 pm (Book club students + 4 spots)

Wednesdays :

• Afterschool Adventure – 1st & 2nd grade – at Jubilee Jobs in the Baxter Community Center
  • Book Club 4-5 pm (6 spots)
  • Creative Writing 5-6 (Book club students + 6 spots)
• Amplify – Middle School, 4-6 pm (10 spots) at Jubilee Jobs in the Baxter Community Center
• Craft – High School, 6:15pm-7:45pm (10 spots) at Jubilee Jobs in the Baxter Community Center

Book of Explosions eligibility: Students who complete all classes in the Fall 1, 2 or Winter six week rotation will have the option to become published authors. Students will choose one of their pieces from the body of work completed during the course of 1 six week session to be featured in the 2019-20 Book of Explosions. Students who complete more than one six week rotation in Fall or Winter will have the opportunity to publish more than one piece of work. 

Performance opportunities: All students who participate in the class will be invited to participate in an informal reading of their work during the last class session for their classmates, parents and family members either in their regular classroom and/or at a local community business/ venue. (Locations for each session TBA) Students who participate in the 3rd-5th grade class in Fall 1 will have the opportunity to create a character for the Characters That Lived event in November. Students who participate in the 1st-2nd grade class in Fall 2 will have the opportunity to create a character for the Characters That Lived event in March.

For more information or questions, contact KAIT at programs@creativeyouthcenter.org or (616) 458-5505.

Afterschool Adventure

Book Club : Students read in small groups and do book-focused activities with an adult reading buddy. Reading buddies help students develop a love of reading and an awareness of writing techniques. 

Creative Writing Session – The Book of Explosions: Students focus on writing and editing content for The Book of Explosions, the CYC’s annual anthology of student writing. Students explore various genres and techniques, learning about poetry, narrative, and nonfiction. Students who complete this portion of programming become published authors.

Amplify & Craft

Creative Writing Session 1 – The Book of Explosions: Students focus on writing and editing content for The Book of Explosions, the CYC’s annual anthology of student writing. Students explore multiple genres, writing topics, and craft techniques. Students who complete this portion of programming become published authors.