TUTORWORKS

CODE a video game and compete for prizes

​WRITE a short story based on the Hero's Journey

​DRAW cartoon style original characters

What students will receive:

• 20 hours of live remote small group instruction (1:5 teacher:student ratio)

• Instruction by dynamic instructors who are coders and artists

• Creative and critical thinking skills

• Coding, writing, drawing project-based learning

• Final virtual exhibition with industry expert judges

• A published short story at the end of the program
  
  

The Program

CODE WRITE DRAW’s unique approach integrates computer science, creative writing, and the digital arts to engage middle school students in a personal journey that fosters self-efficacy and inspires their continuous learning inside and outside the classroom. We use the power of storytelling and the Hero’s Journey narrative to challenge students to create a journey of their own. Students produce a video game, write an original short story based on their personal Hero’s Journey, and use industry-standard art materials to illustrate their short stories.

What’s innovative about our approach is that we bring a fierce commitment to building tangible, specific STEAM skills in the context of a boundless and imaginative personal Hero’s Journey. We focus both on the foundational aspects of STEAM – the challenging experience of skill building through deliberate practice – and on the motivational aspects of STEAM through video game design and personal narratives, using industry-standard tools that students can continue to use after the program ends.

About Us

CODE WRITE DRAW began in 2013 as a creative writing and manga art summer intervention program, using the Hero’s Journey as a thematic framework. In 2018, a new iteration of the program added video game design and foundational math skills mastery to the experience. We are now trying to make this opportunity available to more deserving young people because we believe that experiences like this can transform lives.

Student Reviews

"My favorite experience in summer program was learning how to draw and now I think I'm a good artist. Ms. M. helped me do the writing stuff and Ms. M. helped me with my art. Ms. C., Ms. K., Ms. D., Ms. T. and Ms. K. helped me so much. I wish all the best to them. All the help they gave now I'm an artist and I have my own book. My own published book. Thanks everything and good wishes to all." -Maria G.

"My experience with TUTORWORKS over the past four weeks was to work with the teachers and have fun. I learned how to draw better, how to design a video game, and how to write a book. My favorite experience was the fun I had with Ms. M. and Ms. L. Next time I would like for it to be the same because it was the best one month of summer. I would like to see the tutors next time because they were the best." -Karen D

"TUTORWORKS was a good summer program. I had a lot of fun. The tutors were nice and we learned how to make a video game. I also learned how to type a lot and use the hero’s journey. I hope I can come here again." -Darryle H.