Student writing project help

[dajhek]

I sponsor a group of middle school and high school students every November for the NaNoWriMo competition. I have received some very nice prizes for these students each year from places like TWSBI, Sheaffer, Lamy and even Edison Pens this year. TWSBI actually sent me an assortment of 540s and Minis as prizes, and Edison donated a beautiful Beaumont to give away (I'm a little sad about that one. I really, REALLY want and Edison pen of my own). I've got the pens and journals, but here is the problem...

I don't have ink for them! I've got almost 40 fountain pens to give away, and half of them take bottled ink. I have a few bottles of my own that I'll let them ink up with, but not enough. I was wondering if the fountain pen geeks in here might be able to help.

Does anyone have any ink samples or unused ink sitting around they don't want? Know of any ink vendors that might wish to donate to these aspiring writers?

These kids are excited, and the stop by my office every day to check out the pens sitting in my window (including that beautiful Edison...). I asked one of them if they were writing again this year, and she emphatically responded, "Heck yeah! Do it for the pens."

Thanks in advance for any help or info.

[cwent2]

I have an idea that perhaps you may wish to pursue - contact a retailer, Goulet Pen Company for example, on your school letter head or using some other means of showing your relationship to this legitimate project. Ask the retailer if they would be interested in supplying x number or ink x color at say 10% above cost.

Once you have an agreement to purchase x number of x color inks you then could request donations of x towards the purchase of x dollars worth of ink to be used in your project. You may even ask the administrator of this board if he could set up a pay pal contribution button to collect your donations.

just a thought

[MisterBoll]

I have an idea that perhaps you may wish to pursue - contact a retailer, Goulet Pen Company for example, on your school letter head or using some other means of showing your relationship to this legitimate project. Ask the retailer if they would be interested in supplying x number or ink x color at say 10% above cost.

Once you have an agreement to purchase x number of x color inks you then could request donations of x towards the purchase of x dollars worth of ink to be used in your project. You may even ask the administrator of this board if he could set up a pay pal contribution button to collect your donations.

just a thought

Absolutely great idea. Should this come to pass I would be more than happy to contribute.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I have some inks and samples I'd be willing to send, but not money, alas. Let me know.

[heath]

I love this whole idea.

On a bit of an aside: My wife is a teacher in a high school and I'm floating her the idea of doing a similar project. How do you get the people for the kids to write to?



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[dajhek]

Thank you for the suggestions and the support. I do like the idea of contacting someone like the Goulet's about purchasing the ink. They were a supporter last year, and generously donated three bottles of inks for my students.

As far as starting a group, I simply push the idea with my own students. I am a band director, and the response to it is amazing. I start by getting information from NaNoWriMo's Young Writers website (ywp.nanowrimo.org (http://ywp.nanowrimo.org)). Teachers can receive a free poster for kids to sign up, as well as pins free NaNoWriMo pins. I've been lucky to have a number of generous donors over the last few years, and I start in September displaying the journals, pens, and other freebies that they can win. I try to make it a point to have something for everyone who at least tries the challenge. The bigger items go to those that complete their goal. I make posters and put them up in the hallways and my classroom, and really just push the idea a little everyday. You'll be surprised at the response you get. It's really not hard to get the students excited. From there, it just builds on itself. I make sure that I write, too. That's how I started before getting the kids involved. If they sign up and meet their word count goal for the month, each student can get 5 free copies of their book printed and shipped to them from Amazon's imprint, CreateSpace.

I'll contact the Goulet's and see if they are interested. Maybe the Anderson's as well (they are giving me some pens to give out!). If you can send inks, that would be great. My address is below. I'll also see about PayPal.

Take care pen geeks!

Brent Acuff
1003 Forest Trail
Cedar Park, TX 78613

Please let me know if something is on the way so I can keep an eye out for it.

[pencils+pens]

Message and parcel sent.

Good luck and have fun.

[Ernst Bitterman]

I don't have anything other than a suggestion: Pelikan Royal Blue can be had in HUGE bottles (250ml at least, and I think bigger), and it's one of the "washable" sort that is very sensitive to ammonia.