So many exciting things are happening with the Western Pennsylvania Writing Project! Stay tuned for updates about our collaborations, upcoming initiatives, and the continued growth of our incredible network. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to Pitt Day of Giving. We appreciate your recognition of the impact of the Writing Project’s work across our communities.

And join us today for a special collaboration with the Western Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English, who are hosting a virtual workshop with Penny Kittle. We’d love to see you there on Zoom! 

You can find event information below, along with other events in the coming months.

Warmly, 

Khirsten L. Scott, PhD 

Director, Western Pennsylvania Writing Project

As always, thank you for taking the time to receive and review this newsletter. We are grateful to be in community with you. Feel free to share this information with others.

If you have any updates, ideas, and/or concerns, we’d like to hear from you. Email us at wpwp@pitt.edu.

📍 Where: Virtual - Zoom
📅 When: March 11, 2026, 2:45 - 5 p.m.

Join us for a workshop focused on writing beside students as part of the WPCTE Spring Conference. Facilitated by Penny Kittle.

Jamese Platt is an aspiring journalist contributing stories for organizations such as the Pitt News and Pittsburgh’s Public Source. With over four years of writing under her belt as an undergraduate studying Communications and English Literature, she is excited to continue her aspirations in both her personal and professional life. When she is not writing, you can find her reading a good mystery novel curled under a tree or in her bed, depending on the season. 

Julia Oshiro is a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in English and Spanish. She is also pursuing minors in secondary education and Portuguese, and a certificate in public and professional writing. As a WPWP intern, she is responsible for writing pieces on WPWP’s dynamic events and partners, providing support for writing workshops, and organizing and developing WPWP’s library. Outside of work and school, she loves crocheting, baking, and reading. She is passionate about promoting equitable education and is excited to apply her experiences and expand her knowledge through her work at WPWP. 

📍 Where: University of Pittsburgh - Oakland Campus
📅 When: June 22 - 30, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

We are excited to announce registration for YWI 2026 is now open! YWI will take place on weekdays from June 22 – June 30, with a closing ceremony held on July 1. Registration is open to rising 5th-11th graders. Visit the WPWP website to learn more about this year’s theme.

📍 Where: University of Pittsburgh - Oakland Campus
📅 When: July 7 - 30, 2026

Our 2026 Summer Institute will be held July 7 - July 30 at the University of Pittsburgh!  Sessions are held Monday-Thursday from 10 am- 3 pm with parking covered for the duration of the program. 

We are pleased to offer a restorative and explorative four-week seminar for educators. If you are a classroom teacher, community educator, or education leader looking to have dedicated time for writing, improve your practice, and/or influence the writing culture in your school or organization, the WPWP Summer Institute is for you!  

During the four weeks, educators (grade levels K to college, across all disciplines and communities) develop their personal and professional writing, explore new writing strategies, consider curriculum, and deepen inquiry connected to writing as a tool for education equity, access, and social justice. Together, we investigate best practices in writing and literacy instruction through shared demonstrations of practice, readings, and intentional focus on our writing and reading processes.  

This year's schedule is currently in the planning stage and will be shared when it is finalized. The 2026 schedule will be similar in format to previous years. To understand the usual flow of the Summer Institute, please reference this general schedule.  

Our 2026 Summer Institute application is now open!

📍 Where: Carnegie Music Hall, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
📅 When: Select dates through May 2026. Click here for more information.

We are excited to share that we are partnering with Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures, PAL, this fall! In collaboration with PAL, we invite the WPWP community to attend the Ten Evenings series. The Speakers are as follows:

Merlin Sheldrake: April 13, 2026 

Michael Chabon: May 11, 2026   

Use this form to indicate what event(s) you are interested in attending! Please note, availability is limited. Filling out the interest form does not confirm the request. Your selection will be interpreted as an RSVP. We will contact you directly with confirmation closer to the event!  

📍 Where: Carnegie Museum of Art
📅 When: April 16, and/or May 21, 2026 from 5 – 7:30 p.m.

In this ongoing participatory series we will deepen our understanding of the ways in which the construction of race and our racialized experiences impact our teaching and learning communities. Together, we will engage with art, literature, writing, and group conversations with artists and guest speakers. 

Carnegie Museum of Art is pleased to partner with the Western Pennsylvania Writing Project to make this program possible. These free workshops will be held at the museum and we’ll provide dinner and waive the parking fee for all participants. 

To register for a workshop email teachers@carnegieart.org. Place your name and the date of the workshop in the subject line.

📍 Where: Center for Urban Education, University of Pittsburgh
📅 When: Thursday, May 21, 2026 | 4 - 6 p.m.

Join the WPWP and WPCTE for special evening workshop with Particia Park! Dinner will be served at 5pm, with a writing retreat to follow.

Stay tuned for upcoming registration information. All are welcome.  

If you have an event or opportunity to share with the WPWP community, let us know! We’d love to feature it in our next newsletter. 

We are continually enhancing our communication methods by addressing any gaps in contact information. Please complete the contact form below if you haven’t already. We encourage you to share it with others who might be interested in re/connecting with the WPWP network.