Join us this week at SXSWedu and share your fearless and treasured thoughts about education and technology!

EdTech Link Fellow Jenna Shaw shares with us that her Baltimore City 8th graders have launched an online writing journal:

I am so excited to write this blog, because everything for our after school program is finally coming together!  The student-run publication had its soft-launch, and things went off without a hitch.  We are finalizing details and polishing up the site for an amazing launch next week.  I cannot wait to get the site running full-time and start connecting students from around the world.

I would like to thank Margaret Roth and Shawn and Steph Grimes for working so hard with my students to make this publication so amazing.  Your time and passion has been transmitted to my students, and that is a true gift.

Instead of telling everyone out there again what this site is about, I thought I would share a letter I sent out last week in preparation for the launch. Below you can find a copy of the letter.  My students and I hope to see you next week to celebrate this amazing endeavor!

Dear teachers, colleagues, and friends,

It is with great joy that I contact you with news of a new online creative writing journal created by my students.  8th graders at Patterson Park Public Charter School have been working for the last semester to create a safe, creative space for students around the nation to share their writing.  Tonight, we are making the site, Elsewhere Online, available to the public, and we wanted you to be the first to see what this amazing platform is all about!

Elsewhere Online showcases the writing of many talented young authors.  We hope that you will join our online community by reading their work, sharing this site, and encouraging the young authors you know to contribute their work.  It is an exciting way for students to engage a global audience and connect with other young authors.

Elsewhere is completely run and maintained by students.  Our mission in creating this space is that students will reach out and share their work with the world!  Please visit www.elsewhereonline.org to see what the site has to offer.  Any students wishing to submit original work can find details on the Submit Your Writing page.

Our Elsewhere student-staff will be reading and accepting submissions with the goal of releasing publication issues that display new pieces each month.  In an effort to expand this platform, we will also be accepting creative works such as images, comics, and digital works of all kinds.  If the kids create it, we’ll consider it!

I would like to also extend an invitation to our Baltimore MeetUp, which will be taking place on February 25th, at the Federal Hill Rec to Tech Center.  This MeetUp with mark our official launch, as we are still in the process of putting the final touches on the site.  Please find more information here: http://www.meetup.com/EdTechLink/events/100043602/?a=ea1_grp&rv=ea1&_af_eid=100043602&_af=event

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions.  As always, thank you for your ongoing support!

Yours truly,

Jenna Shaw

Monday, February 25, 2013

6:00 PM To 8:00 PM

Digital Harbor Foundation Tech Center

1045 Light Street, Baltimore, MD

Baltimore City public school students and teacher-fellows in Digital Harbor Foundation’s EdTech Link program will gather to display new student-run online publications on the topics of student voice and social justice.

Join us in celebrating the launch of an online student-run creative writing journal written and edited by students at Patterson Park Public Charter School, seeing the work of edtech justice students at Bluford STEM Academy, and enjoying music and entertainment provided by local EdTech club students.

This Meetup is being organized by teachers Jermaine Elliott and Jenna Shaw.

6:00 – 6:35 :: Meet and Greet with Refreshments 6:35 – 6:40 :: Welcome and Introduction of Guest Speaker 6:40 – 7:00 :: Gus Sentementes presents on Engagement and Impact through Social Media 7:00 – 7:10 :: Jermaine Elliott, Students from Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy – Blogging and Student Voice 7:10 – 7:20 :: Jenna Shaw, Students from Patterson Park Public Charter School – Online Creative Writing Publications 7:20 – 8:00 :: Networking, Interactions, and Student Conversations around the Tech Center