A Day Of Editing POW! and a 100% Celebration of Youth and Teachers. We'll Get This Booger Published

The parents, guardians and relatives who came to CWP summer events can call me an absolute liar. Optimistic and feeling great about the incredible energy of the summer work, especially the Young Adult Literacy Labs, I announced, "This year, I'm not going up for tenure, so I should have time to edit POW! Power of Words much, much sooner. My goal is October 1st."

Then came courses, grants, conferences, and other writing projects so I find myself exactly in line with last year. I'm editing for publication during the in-between spaces of two semesters.

At this point, I simply need to go through one more reading of the work before I send it to the publisher. We have over 200 student-written pieces, as well as 12 excellent teacher contributions. Added this year was the first-ever Shakespeare Literacy Lab, so I've been reading scripts and sonnets (it was a fantastic addition). As I look over the writing however, I have to give a shout out to Izzy, my student, who spent the last few months of last semester giving a provisional reading of the work. I'm with her in declaring, "YOUTHS!" - they have much to say, to create, to dream and to imagine. Our 3rd-12th grade writers really nailed the pieces from the stellar instruction of our teachers. I'm with them...if only we could create a school that allows us to do this year-round.

I should note, however, that editing is very different than composing, and there's something agonizing about the process. I am stressed hoping that I stay true to the student writers, but also consistent with a clarity that is most useful to an audience of our readers. This is the 5th year for our POW! Anthology, and to date we can claim that we've published almost a 1,000 student writers. This is something, but it is the magic of the incredible teachers who work with CWP-Fairfield. I simply get to manage their excellence.

Today, I will be heading to my campus office for a day of final editing and then sending these puppies off to the publishing company. The cover is designed. The Crandall insight has been scribed, but now it is time for one more read-through of the magic created by young people of Connecticut.

(I should note, too, than I'm thankful to the Star Wars marathon on one of the cable news channels that provided background noise as I, too, wanted the force to be with me).

Optimistic and hopeful. Roads to (well, you know) are paved with good intentions.