Agency Details:

Simpson Street Free Press

Today’s Academic Success Stories, Tomorrow’s Community Leaders

Young people who enter the Simpson Street Free Press program acquire essential vocational and academic skills through writing and publishing a newspaper. Perhaps even more important is the growing influence our young writers have among their peers. Our organization has two missions:

Mission #1: Provide a challenging academic experience.
Intensive academic lesson plans are the backbone of all Simpson Street Free Press programs. These lesson plans are executed by a professional teaching staff in an authentic business office atmosphere. Students use worksheets and develop outlines as part of the writing process. Young writers are taught to pull out main ideas, write good lead sentences, and organize their writing effectively. Our core strategy is to teach across the curriculum. Students learn history, geography, and science while practicing the basics: writing, reading, researching, critical thinking, and using computers. SSFP writers are required to revise each of their articles many times prior to publication. Assignments are challenging, the curriculum is rigorous, and the work is demanding. Tomorrow’s community leaders are training today at the Simpson Street Free Press.

Mission #2: Spread a positive message of youth achievement and academic success.
Academic success is an important element in the life of any community. Across the country, leaders search for innovative, effective ways to promote achievement and engage young people in civic life. Our writers do just that, and they do it well. The Simpson Street Free Press has a proven track record. Newspaper circulation is over 20,000 and www.simpsonstreetfreepress.org reaches students throughout Wisconsin. The Free Press is delivered to 83 schools in Dane County and dozens of local teachers use our content as classroom curriculum. There is no achievement gap at the Simpson Street Free Press. This is a program with a rich tradition of building academic self-confidence, particularly among students of color. Our students are role models and exert a powerful and growing influence among their peers. They make a difference in our community, and in turn, become more successful themselves. At the Simpson Street Free Press, tomorrow’s community leaders are publishing important and timely messages today.

Contact people:

James Kramer, Executive Director, (608) 223-0489, (email) Sarah Grimm, (608) 223-0489, (email) Nick Steffel, Office Manager, (608) 223-0489, (email)

Office fax number: 608 223-0489

Address:

P.O. Box 6307 Monona, WI 53716

Web Site: http://simpsonstreetfreepress.org

Miscellaneous Information

Will you be using VolunteerYourTime.org for Donation Match ONLY?
	No

Last updated on August 1, 2009