Word Play

Word Play, our free afterschool program for youth ages 7 - 10, is a fun and creative exploration of writing and storytelling.

For Parents, For Students, After SchoolThe Telling RoomJuly 15, 2025Programs

Story Sleuths

Story Sleuths, our free afterschool program for youth ages 10 - 14, is designed for students who are looking for various creative ways into the writing process.

For Parents, For Students, After SchoolThe Telling RoomJuly 15, 2025Programs

Works in Progress

Works in Progress, a free afterschool program for youth ages 12 - 18, is designed for students working on a specific long-term writing project for which they'd like inspiration, creative space, and feedback.

For Parents, For Students, After SchoolThe Telling RoomJuly 15, 2025Programs

Young Emerging Authors (YEA)

Do you have a novel inside of you? A collection of poetry you’re bursting to share? Characters or stories that just won’t let you go? Each year, we work with four dedicated Maine teens to write, develop, and publish their own books through Young Emerging Authors, our fifteen month afterschool program for youth in grades 8 - 12.

For Students, For Parents, After SchoolThe Telling RoomFebruary 26, 2025Programs

Second Story

Second Story is a free afterschool program for alumni of Telling Room programs ages 16 - 20, where they dig deeper into the writing process, develop their writing habits, and share their words with the world.

For Parents, For Students, After SchoolThe Telling RoomDecember 1, 2024Programs

Student Writers and Readers Meet! (SWARM!)

SWARM! (Student Writers and Readers Meet!), our free afterschool program for youth ages 11 - 16, is a network of youth writing and publishing groups across the State of Maine.

For Parents, For Students, After SchoolThe Telling RoomDecember 1, 2024Programs

Publishing Workshop

Publishing Workshop is a free afterschool program for youth in grades 6 - 12 where participants take the lead in youth publishing, learning about the book publishing industry through hands-on work.

For Students, For Parents, After SchoolThe Telling RoomDecember 1, 2024Programs

Camps

Summer Camp Registration is Now Open! We're looking forward to another summer writing fiction and poetry, creating comics and little books with big ideas—and much more.

For Parents, For Students, CampsThe Telling RoomNovember 1, 2024Programs

Young Writers & Leaders (YWL)

Young Writers & Leaders is a free, nine-month afterschool literary arts education program exclusively for high school students with international and multicultural backgrounds. We select 24 students a year through a competitive application and interview process to participate for nine months.

For Parents, For Students, After SchoolThe Telling RoomSeptember 15, 2021Programs

College Essay Workshops

The Telling Room offers a college essay workshop led by our college essay expert, Program Director Nick Whiston. Each workshop offers four hours of small-group instruction and individual revising support.

For Students, For Parents, After SchoolThe Telling RoomMarch 6, 2021Programs

In-School Workshops

Workshops are conveniently nestled between field trips and residencies as a medium length programming option, and we are able to host them at our writing center in Portland or travel to schools and other sites. Workshops typically last 4 to 10 hours over multiple visits.

For Schools, For TeachersThe Telling RoomMarch 6, 2021Programs

In-School Residencies

As a teacher, there are times when it may not be possible for your class to visit us for a field trip, or you may have a whole classroom of students you want to immerse in the writer's world. Our writers and artists can come to you for an in-school residency.

For Schools, For TeachersThe Telling RoomMarch 6, 2021Programs

Field Trips

Field trips are back for the school year! To arrange a visit for your students to come to The Telling Room, contact Program Director Nick Whiston at nick@tellingroom.org.

For Teachers, For SchoolsThe Telling RoomMarch 6, 2021Programs