Lake Erie Ink dives into third year

Participants at the Ink Spot after-school program filming their comics.

View Image Gallery

Lake Erie Ink, a writing space for youth, has started fall programming with the third year of the Ink Spot, an after-school program that provides homework help and creative writing opportunities to kids in grades 4–8.

Already, students have begun taking advantage of the opportunity to creatively express themselves. At a recent Ink Spot session, students were prompted to write about the stories their shoes would tell.

If My Shoes Could Talk
By Anthony, 5th grade

If my shoes could
Talk, they would say
Just pick me up
And take me away.
My owner always takes
Me or maybe he
Just makes me
Go to places shoes should never go.

The Ink Spot meets Monday through Thursday from 3–5:30 p.m. To enroll your child call 216-320-4757 or visit www.lakeerieink.org.

Programs for teens include Evening Ink writing workshops and Teen Open Mic. Evening Ink welcomes students in grades 6–12, with workshops that focus on poetry, creative nonfiction, short fiction, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and more. Evening Ink runs Tuesday evenings, 7–8:30 p.m. starting Sept. 24. Teen Open Mics are held on Saturday evenings, with the next one scheduled for Oct. 19, 7–9 p.m.

Lake Erie Ink will also offer a Scenarios USA workshop this fall. Teens will discuss and write about social issues, creating stories to submit to the Real Deal screenplay contest in December. For more information visit www.scenariosusa.org.

College essay workshops are also on the fall schedule, with the first one set for Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. Register online at www.lakeerieink.org.

Weekend Ink creative workshops meet one Saturday per month. The Oct. 19 workshop, “Adventures in Time—Writing Stories of the Past and Future,” will feature local writers Paula McClain and Charles Oberndorf. On Nov. 16, author Les Roberts will share his expertise as a writer of suspense and mystery. 

This fall, Lake Erie Ink is busy off-site as well, working with teachers in local schools and with youth in other after-school programs.

Lake Erie Ink, a nonprofit organization, is located in the former Coventry Elementary building. The organization strives to give Greater Cleveland young people opportunities for creative expression and academic support. For more information about programs or volunteer opportunities, visit www.lakeerieink.org.