Reflections: A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric Apr 2018 Open Access

What Changes When We “Write for Change?”: Considering the Consequences of a High School-University Writing Partnership

Heather Lindenman ; Justin Lohr

Abstract

Scholarship in community writing and service-learning has called attention to the lack of community partner voices in the assessments of writing partnerships. This article foregrounds those missing perspectives by reporting on the consequences of a community literacy program, Writing for Change, from the perspective of the high school youth involved. Analysis of high school student interviews and letters demonstrates myriad benefits of the partnership, extending from personal growth to a heightened sense of social responsibility. However, our study also reveals disconnect between participants’ development as writers and rhetoricians and their perceptions of that growth and its relevance to their academic work. We ultimately argue for the importance of building connections between the rhetorical activism often forwarded by community literacy programs and the “school literacies” that youth associate with writing.

Journal
Reflections: A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric
Published
2018-04-01
DOI
10.59236/rjv18i1pp8-38
CompPile
Open Access
OA PDF Gold
Topics
rhetorical criticism service learning literacy studies community literacy
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