COMMUNITY ALLIANCE FOR LEARNING
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Mission Statement
The WriterCoach Connection mission is to engage, encourage and inspire youth to think critically and write clearly and powerfully. Our vision is that all students discover the power and richness of their own voices and learn to communicate their ideas with clarity and confidence to enable them to participate successfully in personal and academic challenges, career options, and community conversations. When students succeed, whole communities benefit.
About This Cause
The ability to communicate clearly, think critically, and express ideas is the foundation of thriving communities. At WriterCoach Connection, we’re equipping the next generation with these essential tools—helping students find their voice, think deeply, and embrace the transformative power of writing. In an era of social media noise, hindrances on free speech, and increasing misinformation, the need for thoughtful, articulate communicators is paramount. With organizations like ours, the students of today will grow into the leaders, advocates, and builders of tomorrow, shaping communities that value understanding and truth. WriterCoach Connection (WCC) is a writing support program for middle school and high school youth from underserved communities. We train community volunteers to be coaches, using our proven 7-step methodology. As an equity-based program we coach every student in the classroom so there is no stigma in having a writing coach. The Challenge Businesses and universities both lament the poor writing skills that high school graduates demonstrate. This is especially true for youth coming from underserved communities, and it has intensified with the pandemic and distance learning. These students often lack skilled academic support at home and can’t afford tutors. Students in underserved communities are disproportionately failing in basic writing skills for many reasons. They may not have English support at home, they may be working to support their families and can’t afford tutors; the pandemic and distance learning have further hampered these students’ growth. We provide high-quality writing support that would otherwise be impossible for our students to obtain. We focus on grades 7-8 and high school seniors because developmentally this is the golden window when youth are building their logical thinking skills; writing helps children think better. Missing this window means fewer academic and career options. Our Goal WriterCoach Connection seeks to help create communities, universities/colleges and workplaces that have young adults from challenged communities who have become skilled at writing and the critical thinking that supports strong writing. Our Intervention WriterCoach Connection is an effective intervention that helps middle school and high school students in these communities gain proficiency in writing and critical thinking. Every year we help 1,100+ students access their own voices powerfully, effectively and with confidence. We help young people tell their own stories in compelling ways so that they can achieve their personal aspirations. The art of writing is an important communication skill, and we consider WriterCoach Connection an important part of a complete STEAM education. Our key programs include an in-classroom program for 7th-8th graders and a personal essay coaching program for 12th graders applying to college. We also offer in person coaching in conjunction with the Oakland Boys and Girls club for 7th-12th graders, free of charge. Coaches also provide emotional support for students --often one of only a few adults in their lives. Students today are facing increased anxiety not only around their families but climate change, the chance for gun violence and bullying that is not limited to the school day but non stop due to social media. Teachers say, “It’s like having 30 of me in the classroom, and, “Even students who don’t do any work in class, complete assignments with their writing coaches.” Our Results In our in-classroom program, 69% of low performing students performed better or significantly better on a Common Core based writing assessment. In our college essay program, 100% of students were accepted into universities/colleges, including the UCs, Stanford and other prestigious colleges nationwide. Our own program experience shows us what research and educators tell us: A caring adult can make a critical difference in the child’s life. Principal Guthrie Fleischman at Betty Reid Soskin Middle School, a Title One school in West Contra Costa County says, “The team from WCC was fastidious in building a support that was tailored to our needs and based on teacher input. The site coordinator went the extra mile to pair up students with coaches with whom they could relate and build strong relationships. They also recruited an amazing core of coaches who care deeply about not only the academic outcomes for students but also for the students themselves. They humanize the writing process and give students an opportunity to delve into their own experiences as they improve their academic skills. We also hear from our alumni how WCC helps them change their lives and strengthen their communities. WriterCoach Connection alumna Aimee C. from Richmond, California says, “As a low-income community, there aren't a lot of opportunities for young people here. This program built a bridge for us to cross to get to college and away from the stigma of living here. It has expanded possibilities for young people to consider. It’s also inspiring to see the older people who volunteer in the program. I think WriterCoach Connection is inspirational to all of us.” Our History & Core Values We were founded by Mary Lee Cole, PhD, an education scholar, in Berkeley, California in 2001. Since then we have coached more than 40,000 students in Alameda and West Contra Costa counties, including in the cities of Berkeley, Richmond and Oakland. Our program includes a continuous feedback and self-improvement loop. We also offer continuing education to our coaches that includes cultural competency, antiracism, trauma response training and coaching students for whom English is not their first language. Finally, values of diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism pervade our organization. This year, our board and executive level staff are 50% Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC), and 33% of our board members have coached in our programs. Our core values also include excellence, and empathy, as shown to students who have lower-level skills or are initially hesitant to interact with their coaches.