The Ames Noon Kiwanis Club is pleased to announce support of the Ames Writers Collective for the week-long Swift Youth Writers Workshop to be held June 24 to 28th at the Ames Public Library.
“As a nonprofit, we are excited to receive this grant which affirms to us that our programs for youth are worthy. Monies received will allow us to pay a facilitator to help facilitate this writing program for Story County youth,” said Ames Writers Collective founder, Ana McCracken.
“This request aligns with the Kiwanis mission to Improve the World one Child and One Community at a Time,” said John Core of the Ames Noon Kiwanis Club. “Specifically it serves the youth of Story County, providing access to arts and culture for all children.”
The Ames Writers Collective is thrilled to receive this award that supports its mission of creating healthy communities through the art of writing.
In partnership with the Ames Public Library, our Swift Youth Writers Workshops offer kids an escape into creative writing and the opportunity to connect with other youth writers.
These sessions are based upon the Amherst Writers & Artists Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer. All feedback given is focused on the unique voice and strengths of the writer to encourage and model authenticity, peer support, and self-confidence.
Dr. Ron McCurdy, is a Professor of Music in the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, where he served as chair of the jazz department for 6 years. Dr. McCurdy is a consultant to the Grammy Foundation educational programs including serving as director of the National Grammy Vocal Jazz Ensemble. Guest artists he has worked with include Joe Williams, Rosemary Clooney, Leslie Uggams, Arturo Sandoval, Diane Schuur, Ramsey Lewis, Mercer Ellington, Dr. Billy Taylor, Maynard Ferguson, Lionel Hampton, and Dianne Reeves.
Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey is an author, performer, and producer. He hails from Columbia, Missouri, and holds a B.A. in English (Creative Writing) from the University of Iowa. His debut book, Look, Black Boy, became Amazon’s #1 new release in African American poetry, and was awarded first prize in the North Street Book Prize. His second book, Heart Notes was published in 2019 and featured on Iowa Public Radio. He released two spoken word albums, a studio version of Look, Black Boy, and a performance album titled, Heart Notes Live! He co-founded the literary magazine Black Art; Real Stories, was published in Iowa’s Best Emerging Poets – 2019, the Little Village Magazine, and wrote a monthly column for The Real Mainstream. For three years in a row he was named Best Poet/Spoken Word Performer in Cedar Rapids & Iowa City.
