Hudson Valley Writing Project awarded Ulster County Community Foundation Grant

NEW PALTZ – Hudson Valley Writing Project (HVWP) at SUNY New Paltz is pleased to announce that the Ulster County Community Foundation has awarded $1,000 to support its Young Writers’ Program.

The award recognizes HVWP’s commitment to serving Ulster County students affected by poverty. HVWP Director Tom Meyer said, “We love this program because kids love to write when given the opportunity and proper support. We are grateful that this grant will allow us to continue finding ways to provide more students access no matter what their families’ finances are.” Each program includes two teachers and up to 20 young writers from various economic, linguistic, and academic backgrounds.

Since 2002, these unique enrichment programs have allowed hundreds of students to join a supportive community to explore their interests and learn the craft of writing. HVWP’s master teachers provide students with ideas and creative inspiration, structured writing workshop time, individual instruction, and opportunities for sharing their work. Students engage in the entire writing process—pre-writing, drafting, peer response, revision, editing—and publish their work in a culminating celebration.

For information on how to bring a HVWP Young Writers’ program to your community or about this grant, please visit: www.newpaltz.edu/hvwp or contact Tom Meyer by email: meyert@newpaltz.edu.

The Hudson Valley Writing Project at SUNY New Paltz is a professional development organization whose purpose is to improve writing instruction and to promote literacy development in all disciplines and at all levels of education, from early childhood to college. Founded in 2001, HVWP has provided programs for nearly 4,000 teachers and young writers in the Hudson Valley region. HVWP respects teachers’ knowledge, expertise, and leadership.

The Community Foundation of Ulster County, an affiliate of Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, officially launched March 2, 2007. The Foundation administers $1.7 million in assets, represented through 34 funds.

Guided by a local board of community leaders, monies raised for Ulster County will stay in Ulster County. The board’s goals are to grow philanthropy in Ulster County, raise money, establish new endowed funds and make grants to make the quality of life in Ulster County even better. For further information visit, http://cfdcny.org