Bright Futures: A New EMWP Family Literacy Collaboration
By Kimberly Pavlock, TC ‘92

This has been an exciting year for the EMWP Family Literacy Initiative as we have begun a new collaboration with Eastern Michigan University and the Institute for the Study of Children, Families, and Communities. Through Bright Futures, an after-school program which is funded by the Michigan Department of Education 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant, we will be presenting The Family Writing Project, our four-workshop series, at four different locations in Southeastern Michigan this 2009-2010 school year.

In November and December 2009, Karen Hoffman, Becky Gracey, Beth Harris, and Kate Brohl presented workshops at the Willow Run Secondary Complex, leading students, parents, and siblings, in writing growing-up stories which were published in an impressive, color anthology of the participants’ work.

Beth Harris, TC


Karen Hoffman, TC; Beth Harris, TC


In the next few months, we will be presenting The Family Writing Project workshop series at three more locations in the Wayne-Westland School District: Jefferson Barns Elementary (February-March), Adams Middle School (April-May), and Lincoln Elementary (April-May).
These workshops, combined with other workshop requests from Hamtramck, Detroit, and East Grand Rapids, to name a few, keep all of us involved with the Family Literacy Initiative busy, but most of all thankful – thankful for the fine work our Teacher Consultants are doing as presenters of these workshops, thankful for the opportunities that we have to promote family literacy, and thankful for the dedication of so many teachers and parents to support and encourage young writers.
If you would like to learn more about how you can become a Family Literacy Presenter or schedule a parent or family writing workshop at your school or local library, please contact Kim Pavlock, Youth and Family Literacy Coordinator, at kpavlock@emich.edu.