Mission
Our mission is to foster joy, literacy, and critical thinking in children and teens from all backgrounds through creative writing. This mission is rooted in our belief that celebrating and sharing stories contributes to the building of stronger, more literate and empathetic young people and societies.
We seek to:
- Create a diverse community of young writers and high-level instructors who connect over their shared passion for ideas and expression.
- Provide young people with the creative inspiration and intellectual support that may not be available to them at school.
- Help each writer grow comfortable expressing themselves with words and cultivate or further a love of writing.
- Sustain a workshop culture in which writers hear and learn to articulate empathetic and constructive feedback from their peers and instructors.
- Dismantle historic barriers to after-school specialty programs by utilizing a no-questions-asked, honor-based sliding scale fee platform. We have never turned away a family due to an inability to pay tuition.
- Provide an open, safe, and nurturing space for young people who are highly engaged in creative and intellectual endeavors, as well as those who struggle with verbal and written expression.
- Foster social-emotional learning opportunities in areas such as self-management, social skills, and positive identity, which are linked to long-term positive outcomes such as improved academic performance, workforce readiness, and emotional wellbeing.
- Design leadership opportunities on an ongoing basis for our teens through teaching internships, off-site mentorship opportunities, strategic event planning internships, grassroots organizing, co-running public events, and more.
"The one change that most needs to happen to make American education realize its potential as an engine of opportunity and economic growth is not better math and science instruction but a writing revolution that puts language and communication in their proper place in the classroom. More out-of-school time should also be used to encourage writing, and specifically, writing workshops for the students."
National Commission on Writing in America's Schools and Colleges, The Neglected R: The Need for a Writing Revolution
See what parents, teachers, principals, and our writers have to say about Writopia!
Support Writopia Today! Writopia Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Just For Fun
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What's Hot?
School Year Programs
- Enroll now in Fall, Winter, and/or Spring Trimester workshops.
Summer Programs
- Half-Day and Full-Day workshops
- WriCampia: Sleepaway Camp for kids and teens
- Advanced Writing Seminar: Two-Week Pre-College Program in NYC
Upcoming Events
- December 7th: Teen Open Mic in NYC!
Winter Retreat
- Enrollment for our 2025 Winter Retreat is open!
- Saturday, February 15th to Tuesday, February 18th, 2025
- @ Camp Mariah in Fishkill, NY
Our Mission
Writopia Lab fosters joy, literacy, and critical thinking in children and teens from all backgrounds through creative writing.
We have never turned away a student whose family was unable to pay for workshops. Fifty percent of our students attend on either partial or full scholarships.
Impact Spotlight 2019
Our Donors
We are so grateful to the donors who have made our outreach programs possible. Writopia Lab relies on their--and your--contributions to ensure that young writers most in need receive the support they deserve.
Enroll Now!
Weekly Trimester-Long Workshops
Check out the Weekly Trimester-Long Schedule.
Holiday & School Break Workshops
Check out the Half-Day and Full-Day schedules.
Overnight Programs
Join the Team!
If you love writing and want to share that love with young writers, apply today to join Writopia Lab! Click here to learn more!