Young Students Learn and Share in The Write Field

Step up to the academic plate

Starting in the 2024-25 school year, the Write Field Program is adding a component for minority middle school and high school girls!

The Poynter Institute’s Write Field Program, now heading into its fourteenth year, invests in young men and women in St. Petersburg, Florida, so that they become more confident and knock their school work out of the park. This free, academic year-long program teaches African American and Hispanic middle schoolers how to be better writers, communicators and students. They will study hip hop. They’ll meet a Tampa Bay Ray. With professional journalists as their mentors, they’ll even get better grades.

To participate in the 2024-25 program, please fill out the Application/Permission Slip. Email this signed document and any questions to Andrew DeLong at writefield@poynter.org by October 7, 2024.

Founded in 2011 to address the achievement gap in local schools, the program meets one Saturday each month during the school year. Over the course of 10 Saturdays, the students meet with local journalists, community officials, professional athletes and business leaders to reinforce the communication skills they will need to complete high school and succeed in whatever they pursue next.

Schedule for 2024-2025 school year

We’re talking to video game programmers, professional athletes, comic book writers, graphic novelists, digital marketers, social media influencers and others to make the fourteenth year of this program the best yet. Below is a tentative schedule, and it is subject to change:

  • Sept. 14 | Welcome/Opening Day/Overview for Parents and Students
  • Oct. 19 | Writing for the Comic Book World (Meeting rescheduled from Oct. 12 due to Hurricane Milton)
  • Nov. 9 | Novel Writing
  • Dec. 14 | Meet a Ray
  • Jan. 11 | Public Speaking
  • Feb. 8 | History
  • March 8 | Making the Book / Personal Brand
  • April 12 | Sports Writing
  • May 3 | Poetry
  • June 6 | Graduation
  • June 7 | Goodbyes for Summer

The Write Field impact

In a city with one of the nation’s highest dropout rates, more than two-thirds of the Write Field participants can now boast of higher grades, including straight A’s and dean’s list accomplishments. In a 2020 study, we found The Write Field boys were doing well in school and advancing to the next grade at a higher rate than their peers. All of our students who stuck with the program have graduated – and on time – from high school.

The Power of Writing

The Write Field program equips students with skills that can significantly impact their future, from high school success to professional achievements:

73% of employers regard writing as a top skill in job candidates.

Strong essays can enhance college admission chances by up to 10 times.

65% of employees consider writing essential for effective workplace communication.

Beyond academic growth, writing can also help students: 

  • Decrease stress
  • Boost happiness
  • Increase productivity
  • Improve self-awareness 
  • Make more informed decisions

The Write Field program’s success is not only reflected in these benefits but also in its recognition and impact. The program was featured nationally on PBS and recognized by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan in 2014 for its work in helping to reduce the dropout rate, especially among students of color.

Leading this transformative program are Ernest Hooper, Demorris Lee and Kenya Woodard. Hooper served as an editor and columnist at the Tampa Bay Times before working as senior vice president of communications for United Way Suncoast. Lee is a public relations strategist with Hillsborough County Government and a former journalist at the Tampa Bay Times. Woodard serves as the coordinator for the Journeys in Journalism program for Pinellas County Schools and has held roles as a nonprofit executive and journalist.

Thank you to our sponsors

Poynter thanks the Rays Baseball Foundation for its founding support of this program. We also acknowledge the City of St. Petersburg, Duke Energy, 10 Tampa Bay and the TEGNA Foundation for their sponsorship, which allows Poynter to offer this program at no cost to the boys or their families. We’re grateful for the partnership with the Pinellas County Schools. Community partners provide special touches for the program, including Sacino’s Formalwear & Men’s Clother.

Consider a gift to support these students through The Write Field program and help Poynter make a difference in our community. Click here to donate (put “Write Field” in the field for special instructions) or contact Andrew DeLong, program manager, at adelong@poynter.org or (727) 337-7473.