Mighty Writers Expands to Rec Centers to Reach More Philly Students

Education nonprofit Mighty Writers just announced plans to bring their award-winning writing programs to Philadelphia rec centers. Next month, they will launch their first pilot program at the Rivera Recreation Center to test how to most effectively bring Mighty Writers' work to similar spaces across the city. Classes will cover topics including Boxers' Writing Club, Basketball Writing Club, and Comic Book Club.

As part of Mighty Writers' continued expansion beyond the walls of their four permanent writing centers, additional rec center writing programs will begin when the next school year starts in September. "We're taking the power of writing to where the kids are," says Mighty Writers founder Tim Whitaker.

They announced the news last night at a holiday party surrounded by Mighty Writers students. Dranoff Properties presented Mighty Writers with a $20,000 check to launch the initiative, beginning a relationship that will see Dranoff promoting Mighty Writers programs in their five buildings throughout the city.

Now in its eighth year, Mighty Writers reaches some 3,000 Philly kids a year through afterschool academies, writing workshops, mentorships, and teen scholar programs. "But we need to reach a lot more," says Whitaker. "The high school dropout rate in Philadelphia hovers around 40-percent, which is beyond unacceptable."

The goal is Mighty, he says. "We need to go from worst to first in student literacy."

About Mighty Writers:

Mighty Writers was founded in 2009 with the mission to teach kids to think clearly and write with clarity. The organization offers free programs for students from elementary through high school at centers in four diverse Philadelphia neighborhoods, including one bilingual location for Spanish-speaking students. Mighty Writers offers daily afterschool academies, long- and short-term writing classes nights and weekends, teen scholar programs, mentorships, College Prep courses and college essay writing classes. Over 400 of the city's best creative minds (writers, teachers, journalists, etc.) teach 150 writing classes a year to 2,500 kids at Mighty Writers annually.

Founder and executive director Tim Whitaker began his career teaching fifth and sixth grade in Philadelphia before becoming a writer and editor. He was the editor of Philadelphia Weekly (1994-2008), and previously the editor of PhillySport and Pittsburgh magazines. Whitaker was a head writer at NBC Radio and has written for The New York Times, Washington Post and Philadelphia Inquirer.

About Dranoff Properties :

Distinguished for his leadership in urban revitalization, Carl E. Dranoff has earned national recognition for his game changing approach to residential development within the urban core. The company that he founded Dranoff Properties was established in 1998 to create unparalleled living destinations that transform and revitalize cities. Dranoff Properties is nationally known and widely respected for character-defining projects ranging from ground up skyscrapers, adaptive reuse of historic buildings, and mixed use developments. Dranoff's national recognition and awards include: Developer of the Year by the Pennsylvania Builder's Association, Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, and Multifamily Executive's Editor's Choice winner. In 2016, he was cited as one of Philly Biz's Top 50, one of NJ Biz's Power 75 and received the Philadelphia Inquirer's Emerging Icon Award. Please visit www.dranoffproperties.com for more information.