Last spring, once a week for three weeks, students at the Greater Olney Library played guitars and wrote their own songs. Laughter could be heard from our upstairs meeting room as the students learned how to play specific notes, and later, an entire chord! For Jefferson, age 12, it was his first experience holding an instrument and reading music notes. By the third week, the students wrote a song together to express themselves!

This spring, our students will practice their improv skills through acting games and exercises. This will culminate with a compilation of a final monologue, dialog, or one-act play that the students will write together, with the guidance from instructors from Mighty Writers. 

Mighty Writers is a non-profit organization with a five-word pitch: "To teach kids to write."  This is essential, since our children are such good storytellers but cannot always put their stories into the written word. More than 3,000 kids learn to think clearly and write with clarity every year. Their programs are hosted in recreation centers and public housing locations throughout Philadelphia. 

This will be the second year that Greater Olney Library has hosted Mighty Writers workshops, which are made possible through the Philadelphia Activities Grant that the Friends of Olney Library has been awarded.

Maymouna, age 8, and Uevgueny, age 7, are eager to attend this year’s workshop. According to Maymouna, she has "so much to share with my audience," and she needs "to get it out."  Uevgueny wants to share her inner diva. 

Maty, age 10, wants to show the entire library that she can act and sing as well as Beyoncé! Since the group is focusing on improv, Joshie, age 8, hopes he can share jokes with the group. Even our very own Kemsuze, age 12, who is normally shy and quiet, feels delighted that she can participate. 

Join us on Wednesdays, March 4, 11, and 18, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. for our Act Our Loud Workshops! These programs are intended for children ages 6-12.