Our Programs The Community-Word Project (CWP) helps develop the literacy and leadership skills of underserved public school youth by integrating creative expression and community-building into their classroom curricula. Our mission is to use collaborative creative writing, performance, and art-making to develop and expand young people's literacy, creative thinking, teamwork, public speaking, and community-building skills, as well as to foster their self-esteem. Instead of slipping through the cracks of the education system, our students learn to bridge the space between themselves and their learning, between their classroom and their community, and between their community and others. We strongly believe that children's literacy and leadership skills are strengthened when creative expression is integrated into the classroom curricula, and our programs seek to enhance the literacy and creative environment available to these young people--through skilled teaching artists, trained classroom teachers, and corporate involvement. We have found that when young people believe that their experiences, communities and ideas are valuable, they are motivated to gain the tools necessary to express themselves and to articulate their aspirations and visions. Our Program Includes: A team of artists leading creative writing, performance and visual arts literacy workshops in public school classrooms once a week for the entire school year. Creative Expression Literacy Workshops culminating in 4 x 6 indoor murals that feature the participants' writing. These murals travel around New York City and the country. Professional development training for public school classroom teachers, after-school leaders, and youth workers in collaborative creative expression literacy and leadership methods. On-site literacy workshops at local businesses, such as Barnes & Noble and Starbucks, bridging the gap between businesses/corporations and public schools. Teaching artist training, where we rigorously train MFA students and professional artists in our teaching and leadership methods so that they can join the arts-in-education field serving underserved youth. The training features hands-on teaching experience and intensive seminars.