Mission
Writers in the Schools (WITS) engages children in the pleasure and power of reading and writing.

Vision
WITS revolutionizes the way reading and writing are taught, nurturing the growth of the imagination and awakening students to the adventures of language.

Values
Every child deserves a holistic education that encourages critical thinking, creativity, and personal responsibility.

Writing is an art that must be practiced and developed over time.

Low-income students can thrive and grow through high-quality art education programs.

The relationship between the WITS writer and the classroom teacher is a partnership.

WITS supports classroom teachers as they adopt new approaches to teaching creative writing.

WITS writers reflect Houston’s diversity to meet the needs of the community.

Everyone has a personal story to tell. WITS provides opportunities for storytelling and the skills needed to do it well.

A History of Opening Doors
Nationwide, we are experiencing a decline in reading and writing skills among students of all ages. WITS focuses on this problem, one child at a time.

WITS believes that every individual has unique stories and that professional writers can help children find creative ways to tell those stories.

WITS primary goal is to provide literacy programs to the widest possible range of children.

Since 1983 WITS has sent professional poets, fiction writers, and playwrights into classrooms in the Houston area to share their love and knowledge of the written word with students and teachers. WITS is also involved in national initiatives, such as mentoring other writers-in-schools programs, serving as a model for multidisciplinary arts educators, and designing curricula for use in schools.

Although the focus of the organization's work takes place in inner-city public schools, WITS also teaches children in art museums, hospitals, community centers, private schools, and juvenile detention centers. WITS years of experience have shown that creative exploration and the resulting self-confidence can have a positive effect on the self-esteem of almost any child, regardless of race, gender, or economic standing.