Young Writers & Leaders

# Young Writers & Leaders Young Writers & Leaders (YWL) is the flagship afterschool program of The Telling Room, the Portland, Maine youth writing center known for publishing professional-quality books of student work. YWL is a free, nine-month literary arts education program exclusively for high school students with international and multicultural backgrounds, selecting 26 students a year through a competitive application and interview process. ## What You'll Do - Meet weekly after school through the academic year at The Telling Room's downtown Portland writing center - Develop personal narratives, poetry, and essays with professional writers, mentors, and editors - Revise toward real publication - Telling Room student work appears in professionally designed anthologies and books - Build public speaking and leadership skills, sharing your work at readings and community events ## Who Should Apply Maine residents in grades 9-12 who were born internationally or are the first generation of their family born in the US. Applications and interview sessions are conducted each September at Portland, Deering, Casco Bay, Westbrook, and South Portland high schools; applications for the 2026-27 year become available in September 2026. ## Outcomes YWL alumni graduate with published writing, a nine-month mentorship with professional writers, and a leadership credential recognized across Maine's college-access community. For multilingual students, the program is also a sustained, supportive space to claim English-language storytelling on their own terms.