Past Events
“Writing, the art of communicating thoughts to the mind through the eye, is the great invention of the world...enabling us to converse with the dead, the absent, and the unborn, at all distances of time and space.”
—Abraham Lincoln
Carson Elementary 2026 Bilingual Summer Writers Camp
Carson Elementary School
Chicago, Illinois
June 29th - July 2nd, 2026
This summer, IWP hosted a Bilingual Young Writers Camp at Carson Elementary, led by Dr. Judith Landeros, Dr. Tim Duggan, and Ms. Natalia Carroll. During these four days, we explored many writing exercises, including what it means to have a voice, how to hone that voice and use different voices as a writer, among many other writing exercises. The young writers in this camp were given the opportunity to flex their writing muscles, participate in daily games and writing activities, and even learn how to transform their writing into music. It was a week teeming with fun, learning, and bilingual discussions!
Special thanks to Principal Javier Arriola and Carson Elementary School for hosting us!
Writing Palooza 2026
Frederick Von Steuben Metropolitan High School
Chicago, Illinois
May 2nd, 2026
Every spring, IWP holds a day-long Saturday festival of writing for students grades K-12, accompanied by parents and teachers. All participants engage in real-world writing, including family stories, soap-box speeches on social issues, news feature stories, and poetry. This year, over 100 participants in the Palooza had the opportunity to learn more about creative writing, sharing stories, and learning from others’ experiences.
We were fortunate to have Dr. Tina Curry as this year’s keynote speaker! Tina currently works as IB coordinator at Smyth Elementary School in Chicago. She has been an invited presenter for IWP, AERA, LRA, NCTE, and IRC, as well as a featured guest on Coaching Conversations Podcast with Jim Knight. Dr. Curry is a longtime teacher leader in the Illinois Writing Project.
Workshop leaders included Dr. Russell Mayo, Mr. Ben Kuhlman, Dr. Judith Landeros, Dr. Ruth Llana Fernandez, Dr. Jennifer Hasso, Dr. Tim Duggan, Mr. Shea Roney, Ms. Jenny Johnson, Mr. Justin Gillam, and Dr. Steve Zemelman.
Special thanks to Von Steuben Metropolitan High School and to Ms. Jennifer Tapia for hosting this event. Frederick Von Steuben Metropolitan High School
Writing Palooza 2025
Frederick Von Steuben Metropolitan High School
Chicago, Illinois
May 3rd, 2025
Every spring, IWP holds a day-long Saturday festival of writing for students grades K-12, accompanied by parents and teachers. All participants engage in real-world writing, including family stories, soap-box speeches on social issues, news feature stories, and poetry. In May of 2025, over 80 participants in the Palooza had the opportunity to learn more about creative writing, sharing stories, and learning from others’ experiences.
The keynote presenter this year was Mr. Oba William King, The Poetic Storyteller. Workshop leaders included Dr. Amina Chaudhri, Ms. Olivia Cronk, Mr. Ben Kuhlman, Dr. Russell Mayo, Dr. Steve Zemelman. Special gratitude to Von Steuben Metropolitan High School and to Ms. Valerie Diaz and Ms. Jennifer Tapia for hosting this event.
