About Us
Lake Erie Ink believes that creative writing is not only for kids and teens who already love writing, but also for youth who have something say and too often feel that no one is listening. Join us as we enter our tenth year.
Our Mission
Lake Erie Ink: a writing space for youth provides creative expression opportunities and academic support for youth in the Greater Cleveland Community.
Our Vision
We envision a community where youth discover their voices, share ideas and inspire each other as valued participants.
Our Values
- We believe in the transformative power of creative expression.
- The voices of youth are at the center of what we do.
- We are committed to openness, collaboration and accountability to the youth and communities we serve.
Our Story
The initiative grows out of the many years that teachers Amy Rosenbluth and Cynthia Larsen have offered creative writing programs for youth in Cleveland communities on the east side.
Two school poetry clubs started at Fairfax Elementary (Amy-2004) and Boulevard Elementary (Cynthia-2007) in Cleveland Heights. During the 2009-10 school year, five Cleveland Heights-University Heights schools hosted poetry clubs. For the 2010-11 school year, LEI offered four Library Writers Clubs to students in grades 4-12 as well as three elementary school lunchtime writing clubs.
Cynthia and Amy with 826 Valencia founder, Dave Eggers
Ms. Rosenbluth has facilitated the Heights Teen Poetry Slam for 11 years. Ms. Larsen taught project-based creative writing in collaboration with teachers at Boulevard and Coventry elementary schools for four years.
Both professionals are credentialed teachers and bring valuable youth programming and teaching experience to LEI. The primary objective through all of these initiatives has been to give youth a voice, a space to experience the power of creative expression, an audience and the skills required to communicate effectively.
