IYWP takes over: Reading, workshop and concert set for this weekend in collaboration with Girls Rock!

Students -- photo courtesy of the IYWP — Students at IYWP’s weekly program at Pheasant Ridge Community Center show off their puppets before going on to write and perform plays. Chaja (right) is one of the students who will read this Saturday at Prairie Lights. — *photo courtesy of the Iowa Youth Writing Project*

The Iowa Youth Writing Project (IYWP) has a full weekend of events planned for downtown Iowa City. On Saturday at 5 p.m. the IYWP will host a reading at Prairie Lights where local K-12 children will have a chance to share their work with the public. Then, on Sunday at 3 p.m., the IYWP will be joining forces with Girls Rock! Iowa City to give girls ages 8-18 the opportunity to play a concert at Raygun in the Ped Mall.

Saturday: IYWP Reading at Prairie Lights

Saturday’s event at Prairie Lights begins at 5 p.m. and will feature readings by local students involved in IYWP after school and weekend programs. At 6 p.m., immediately following the students’ readings, there will be a reception at the Times Club Cafe in the upper level of Prairie Lights to thank volunteers and students involved in the project.

Caption — This summer, IYWP held a workshop titled “image + word” in collaboration with Prompt Press, wherein students helped produce a chapbook. Click the image above for a peek at what students cooked up. — *photo courtesy of the Iowa Youth Writing Project*

According to event organizer and IYWP Marketing and Communications intern Rachel Gosch, Prairie Lights has agreed to donate 10 percent of their total sales on Saturday to the IYWP. In addition, there will be a “Wish List” posted at the store showing books customers can purchase and donate for use in IYWP’s after school programs.

“They’ll be books that we can read aloud, or create exercises from,” Gosch said. “They should be a really great help to our organization.”

Sunday: IYWP and Girls Rock! Host PS1 workshop & Raygun concert

On Sunday from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Public Space One, Girls Rock! and IYWP will host a songwriting workshop for girls ages 8-18. The workshop will be led by Iowa City’s own all-female indie-rock trio, Younger. Afterwards, the girls will head to Raygun for a 3 p.m. concert.

Girls Rock! members practice their crafts. -- photo courtesy of Alyse Burnside — Girls Rock! members practice their crafts. — *photo courtesy of Alyse Burnside*

Gosch, who also worked to organize this event, says getting girls involved in music can be a great way to get them thinking about writing.

“Music is a creative art,” Gosch said. “At the Iowa Youth Writing Project we’re committed to promoting creative writing, and having music to back up creative writing studies opens a new field of possibilities for kids to discover potential interest in writing, potential talents in writing and potential talents in music.”

The workshop is currently at maximum capacity and registration is closed, but a waiting list is available here.

Raygun will be donating 50 percent of their total sales on Sunday to the IYWP.

Gosch says all donations made to IYWP over the weekend will go toward the purchase of school supplies, books and other materials necessary to make their after school and weekend programs successful.