Writers in the Schools expands programming with grant from CenterPoint Energy

A recent major grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation will allow Writers in the Schools, a Houston-based literary education nonprofit, to launch a pilot expansion of its programs into more schools in the Greater Houston area.

WITS has long served students in the Houston Independent School District, even as the district faced a state takeover and “arts deserts” in recent years, as reported by the Houston Chronicle. Now, this new grant will allow the organization to bring creative writing and storytelling programs into additional districts, including Aldine, Spring, and Alief ISDs.

“With CenterPoint Energy Foundation’s support, WITS will be able to expand into communities where access to arts education is severely limited, and reach more children with transformative creative writing experiences that develop literacy, self-expression, and confidence,” said Giuseppe Taurino, WITS’ Executive Director, in a statement.

By placing professional writers and spoken word artists in classrooms and offering after-school programs in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, WITS aims to reach “approximately 200 additional students—the equivalent of 10 classrooms—with at least 12 hours of dynamic writing instruction over a semester,” according to a press release.

Funded by shareholders, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation seeks to invest in programs that promote education, community vitality, and workforce development. The Foundation awards grants annually to eligible organizations in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas, to serve the communities where the company has a business presence.

“By investing in WITS, we are helping more students discover the joy of writing and the power of their own voices,” said Alicia Dixon, the Foundation’s Director of Community Relations, in a statement.

In addition to supporting WITS’ pilot expansion, which will also receive support from the Powell Foundation, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation grant will be used to help sustain WITS’ existing programs within HISD, which reaches more than 4,500 students annually.