Start a new chapter by volunteering with RAWK! Learn about what we do, how we do it, and exactly how we could use your skills.   Register Now

Using properties of science taught at the 2nd & 3rd grade levels, we’ll write stories that explore scientific experiments, discoveries, advancements, opportunities, and mishaps. Register Now

The Last Saturday of each month from 11am–2pm, Middle School & High School aged students are invited to Drop-In Studio time to work on writing projects and earn print credits to publish their work! Writing and ‘Zine Making supplies will be available and Volunteers will be on hand to assist students with taking their writing to the next level. Register Now

Start a new chapter by volunteering with RAWK! Learn about what we do, how we do it, and exactly how we could use your skills. Register Now

Students will first learn about the basics of digital and smartphone photography, visual storytelling, and travel writing, followed by a street photography excursion through the Vine neighborhood.  During the latter half of the workshop, students will choose a series of photographs they’ll caption, arrange, and supplement with short travel narratives to be compiled and anthologized in a published photography chapbook. Registration for this workshop will open on November 14th

Students will be introduced to the world of self-published fanzines motivated by the writers’ desire to share information, ideas, musings, etc. with a wider audience.  Whether it be political views, poetry and personal writing, food and music reviews, zines about school, friends, cats, family, health, gender, racism, or anything in between, this workshop will give students a look at the history and purpose of zines, as well as the technical process of producing that have something crucial to say. We’ll…

Start a new chapter by volunteering with RAWK! Learn about what we do, how we do it, and exactly how you can use your skills to help celebrate and amplify youth voice. Register Now

A morning for our youngest RAWKstars to make their own word and picture books with the help of their parent/guardian. Together we’ll ask curious questions, create new worlds, and ponder big ideas. Registration Open Now!

The Last Saturday of each month from 11am–2pm, Middle School & High School aged students are invited to Drop-In Studio time to work on writing projects and earn print credits to publish their work! Writing and ‘Zine Making supplies will be available and Volunteers will be on hand to assist students with taking their writing to the next level. This month's Last Saturday falls on LEAP DAY! We'll have special snacks, give out Books For Keeps, and other prizes. PLUS,…

The Last Saturday of each month from 11am–2pm, Middle School & High School aged students are invited to Drop-In Studio time to work on writing projects and earn print credits to publish their work! Writing and ‘Zine Making supplies will be available and Volunteers will be on hand to assist students with taking their writing to the next level. One-time Registration Required Students may arrive any time between 11:00am and 1:00pm

Where in the Milky Way is the best cheese pizza?  Has the old dinosaur BBQ joint lost its charm since the Cretaceous period? Create a dining handbook for those eager foodies traveling throughout different histories, galaxies, and alternate dimensions. Registration Opens March 18th!

Living the post-apocalyptic nomadic dream? Write about the places you’ve visited, the people you’ve met, and the cultures and traditions you’ve experienced during your travels across this eerie but familiar landscape. Registration Opens April 16th!

Rootead will join RAWK for two special virtual workshops to explore and share the cultural storytelling methods of Traditional West African Drum & Dance! You’ll learn that sharing your story doesn’t have to just mean using your words, sometimes it means speaking with your body and heart. follow this link for more information and to register: https://www.readandwritekzoo.org/rootead-registration/

The 3rd Wednesday of the month is now Read and Write Night! Join RAWK and volunteers for an evening of….well, reading and writing together. Youth in grades K–5 are invited to join volunteers from the Western Michigan University chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association to spend time reading out loud then writing together to express their response to the story. Hear a perspective that is new to you, express your own ideas in writing, and find power…

The 3rd Wednesday of the month is now Read and Write Night! Join RAWK and volunteers for an evening of…well, reading and writing together. Youth in grades K–5 are invited to join volunteers from the Western Michigan University chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association to spend time reading out loud then writing together to express their response to the story. Hear a perspective that is new to you, express your own ideas in writing, and find power…

The 3rd Wednesday of the month is now Read and Write Night! Join RAWK and volunteers for an evening of….well, reading and writing together. Kalamazoo County youth in grades K–5 are invited to join volunteers from the Western Michigan University chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association to spend time reading out loud then writing together to express their response to the story. Hear a perspective that is new to you, express your own ideas in writing, and…

Our Volunteer Trainings take an in-depth look at RAWK's values and how we apply them to our work with students. This training is required for Volunteers who work directly with students.   RSVP for your Volunteer Training here: Our Virtual Volunteer Trainings will take place over Zoom. You'll receive information to connect to the Zoom after your RSVP is processed.  If you haven't already, click here to complete your Volunteer Application! Or complete your Service Learning Application here

Our Volunteer Trainings take an in-depth look at RAWK's values and how we apply them to our work with students. This training is required for Volunteers who work directly with students.   RSVP for your Volunteer Training here: Our Virtual Volunteer Trainings will take place over Zoom. You'll receive information to connect to the Zoom after your RSVP is processed.  If you haven't already, click here to complete your Volunteer Application! Or complete your Service Learning Application here

The 3rd Wednesday of the month is now Read and Write Night! Join RAWK and volunteers for an evening of….well, reading and writing together. Kalamazoo County youth in grades K–5 are invited to join volunteers from the Western Michigan University chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association to spend time reading out loud then writing together to express their response to the story. Hear a perspective that is new to you, express your own ideas in writing, and…

RAWK has the privilege of virtually hosting Amanda Eke and her workshop– The Poet Speaks Saturday, January 23rd 10:00am–11:00am - Middle School aged students (9–13 years old) 1:00pm–2:00pm - High School aged students (14–19 years old) "The Poet Speaks" is an engaging experience into the culture of Spoken word, rhyme and tradition, held for all ages. Based off her Nigerian Igbo heritage the workshop gives participants a chance to learn about oral traditions and their histories in any context and…

RAWK has the privilege of virtually hosting Amanda Eke and her workshop– The Poet Speaks Saturday, January 23rd 10:00am–11:00am - Middle School aged students (9–13 years old) 1:00pm–2:00pm - High School aged students (14–19 years old) "The Poet Speaks" is an engaging experience into the culture of Spoken word, rhyme and tradition, held for all ages. Based off her Nigerian Igbo heritage the workshop gives participants a chance to learn about oral traditions and their histories in any context and…

The 3rd Wednesday of the month is now Read and Write Night! Join RAWK and volunteers for an evening of….well, reading and writing together. Kalamazoo County youth in grades K–5 are invited to join volunteers from the Western Michigan University chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association to spend time reading out loud then writing together to express their response to the story. Hear a perspective that is new to you, express your own ideas in writing, and…

As Jason Reynolds writes in For Everyone, "Dreams Aren't Reserved for the Creatives" RAWK invites Middle School aged students to join us for an exploration of this visually and verbally dynamic piece of writing from our National Ambassador of Youth Literature, Jason Reynolds. In this letter in the form of a poem- or poem in the form of letter- Reynolds invites us to DREAM, to connect with what is truly inside each of us and bring it forward in all…

The 3rd (and 4th!) Wednesday of the month is now Read and Write Night! Join RAWK and volunteers for an evening of….well, reading and writing together. Kalamazoo County youth in grades K–5 are invited to join volunteers from the Western Michigan University chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association to spend time reading out loud then writing together to express their response to the story. Hear a perspective that is new to you, express your own ideas in…

The 3rd (and 4th!) Wednesday of the month is now Read and Write Night! Join RAWK and volunteers for an evening of….well, reading and writing together. Kalamazoo County youth in grades K–5 are invited to join volunteers from the Western Michigan University chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association to spend time reading out loud then writing together to express their response to the story. Hear a perspective that is new to you, express your own ideas in…

The 3rd (and 4th) Wednesday of the month is now Read and Write Night! Join RAWK and volunteers for an evening of….well, reading and writing together. Kalamazoo County youth in grades K–5 are invited to join volunteers from the Western Michigan University chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association to spend time reading out loud then writing together to express their response to the story. Hear a perspective that is new to you, express your own ideas in…

Elementary school-aged students across Kalamazoo County are invited to join us for a Saturday morning of sharing our love, joy, and praise in the form of ODES! Students will learn more about this poetic form, read a book about the power of sharing our poetry and praise, and dive into writing odes for the people, places, and things that we love. As always, this RAWK workshop is FREE and open to all residents of Kalamazoo County. This workshop will be…

The 3rd (and 4th) Wednesday of the month is now Read and Write Night! Join RAWK and volunteers for an evening of….well, reading and writing together. Kalamazoo County youth in grades K–5 are invited to join volunteers from the Western Michigan University chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association to spend time reading out loud then writing together to express their response to the story. Hear a perspective that is new to you, express your own ideas in…

Join RAWK and Public Media Network for this very special partnership. During the RAWK/PMN journalism Workshop, students will participate in the Our Voices Project to create a collage of youth stories. Students will receive training in journalism and interviewing basics and then put their skills to work by interviewing a partner and writing a short article about them. These articles will focus on telling the story of who their partner is, what they are passionate about, what it looks like…

RAWK Reads is our annual celebration of our Summer Writers and the release of our Summer Anthology! We come together to hear these freshly published young writers read their words to their adoring fans and celebrate their accomplishments. This year we're RAWKin' with a new twist - We're having a BLOCK PARTY! We're going to celebrate right in our own back yard (or back parking lot as the case may be). We'll have youth performances, live music, food, games, books,…

Enjoy a free lunch, a free copy of the graphic novel version of Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower, and an awesome discussion of the novel!
Part of the Kalamazoo Emergence Program Series initiated by Kalamazoo Nature Center

The 2nd Wednesday of the month is now Read and Write Night! Get a FREE BOOK and spend the evening reading and writing with us!

In this writing workshop series youth will discuss and explore our relationships with the natural world.
In solidarity with the Kalamazoo Emergence Program Series initiated by Kalamazoo Nature Center