WriterCoach Connection

Helping West County students prepare for the future

On Saturday, March 17, we were pleased to host a series of workshops helping students articulate their identities through writing. The occasion was the Getting Ready for College and Career Conference, sponsored by the West Contra Costa Unified School District and held at DeJean Middle School in Richmond. A stalwart band of 24 WCC volunteers sat with small groups of students in each workshop, encouraging 8th grade students to write about the ideal high school to match their personal identities, and 9th and 10th grade students to formulate thoughts for Personal Statements for college and job applications.

Here's how it looked:

Above, WCC coach and El Cerrito High site coordinator Maureen Dixon encourages a group of 9th and 10th graders to articulate their identities in writing.

Above, WCC coach Sarah Allday makes the personal connection that is vital to our work with students.

Above, the magic of words on paper.

A resource fair followed the conference. Community Alliance for Learning associate director Lynn Mueller and board chair Kathy Kahn work the WCC table:

Another volunteer for WriterCoach Connection:

The West County school district was particularly delighted with the highly interactive WCC workshops at the conference. We look forward to returning for the 2013 event!

Bob Menzimer

Get your antiques appraised and have fun with WCC benefactor

The Oakland chapter of the philanthropic organization P.E.O. International makes heartfelt donations to WriterCoach Connection, so we're pleased to spread the word about their fundraising event, For What It's Worth, an Antique Appraisal Extravaganza, coming up on May 17th at Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland. 

Your $25 ticket entitles you to bring two antique or collectible items to be appraised by the experts at Clars. The evening will include a silent auction and/or raffle, food, beverages, and a live Antiques Roadshow-type program in which the Clars experts will discuss some of the interesting items that have been brought in for evaluation.

For more information, contact Janis at janis@tude.org or 510.848.8931. 

Bob Menzimer

WriterCoach Connection partners with Episcopal Charities

As part of our intiative to form expanded, broad-based strategic partnerships with our generous funders, we were pleased to help our friends at Episcopal Charities with their biggest fundraiser of the year, the Night of Lights, at Delancey Street on the San Francisco waterfront on a blustery and rain-swept night in early November. 

Here is Community Alliance for Learning Board Chair Kathy Kahn (r.), helping check guests in that night:

Since Episcopal Charities helps fund WriterCoach Connection, they requested that one of our coaches attend the event to talk about our program. WCC volunteer Janice Barbour, with her husband Steve, answered the call. Here they are (l. and center), in lively conversation about what writer coaching means to our students and teachers, and the satisfaction being a coach brings to our volunteers:

I was honored by the willingness of another person intimately acquainted with WCC to help out at the event: my wife Meg.

We were so happy to be a part of this warm and festive evening, which generated lots of donations for Episcopal Charities with a lively auction of fun prizes and activities.

Bob Menzimer