First-year teacher Roseli Ilano

We’re halfway through the school year, but it’s never too late to get acquainted with the teachers who are the face and spirit of WritersCorps. Meet Roseli Ilano, a first-year teacher who works with students at Mission High School.

What inspired you to work with WritersCorps and what is your background as both a teacher and a writer?
I love writing and I love working with young people so it was a perfect fit. I was inspired to join the WritersCorps team because the program embodies the three areas I am most passionate about developing personally and professionally: empowering young people, sharing the power of storytelling, and building meaningful and transferable skills for the next generation of writers.

What has been one of the most formative creative experiences of your life?
One of the most influential moments in my life was when I took time off from college and lived in the Philippines for 5 months. I was inspired by learning more about my family’s roots, and inspired by the country’s spirit of cultural work. There is a long legacy of artists who use theater, literature, film, and painting to shift political consciousness and build awareness about the country’s social issues. It made me reconsider the power and responsibility of art.

What do you like best about working with students at Mission High School?
My favorite part about teaching at Mission High is witnessing my students step out of their comfort zones to take risks. Whether it means sharing a poem out loud for the first time in front of a large group, or writing about a subject that is personal, I love watching students use their writing as a tool to grow.

Currently, what do you find inspires your writing practice?
I write about everyday people doing extraordinary things, so I am most inspired by strangers and people I come across in my day-to-day life. Yesterday I struck up a conversation with the crossing guard I pass every day and he had such an incredible story. He has been helping children cross the street at the same intersection for 15 years, and now that the school is closing down, he is going to lose his job.

City Librarian Luis Herrera

Congratulations to Luis Herrera, San Francisco’s City Librarian, who was recently honored by Library Journal as the 2012 Librarian of the Year! Read about his inspiring leadership, his innovative collection management, as well as his model of mentorship and building effective partnerships, here.

Teen Services Coordinator Jennifer Collins outside current Teen Center

Congrats to our friends at the San Francisco Public Library on winning a grant to build a new teen space at the Main Library! The grant, which was awarded to them by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the MacArthur Foundation, will help transform the teen section into a 21st Century Learning Lab that will include iPads, laptop computers, and video recording equipment. The inspiration behind the lab is bridging the gap between teenagers with ample resources and teenagers without. Planning will officially start next month, so stay tuned for more information on what’s sure to be an exciting project. More info on the project can be found here.

Check out the 2011 San Francisco Youth Arts Summit, put together by our friends at Out of Site. It’s this Sunday at SOMArts at 9th and Brannan. There will be visual arts, performance, workshops and more, all by youth for youth. See the website or this Facebook event for more details.

Join Oasis For Girls in celebrating 20 young women who are graduating from the Oasis life skills, arts education, leadership development, and technology training programs. This past fall, WritersCorps teamed up with Oasis For Girls and Intersection for the Arts to teach writing and art to young women in the arts education program.

Friday, December 9th
6 - 7:30 pm
Intersection for the Arts
925 Mission Street @ 5th

Oasis For Girls is also now accepting applications for its Spring 2012 programs, including RISE, Arts Apprenticeship, and the Technology and Leadership Program. The deadline for submission is Friday, February 3, 2012. Please go to the Oasis website to download the application.