History
Here are year-by-year highlights of the Pongo Publishing Teen Writing Project. Please visit our page of Acknowledgments.
2010
Richard was named a Microsoft Integral Fellow by the Microsoft Alumni Foundation for his work with Pongo. The award was judged by Tom Brokaw, Bill Gates Sr., and the heads of four prominent national foundations. At a banquet in November, Richard was presented with a medal by Bill and Melinda Gates, and he had the opportunity to address 450 people about the lives and poetry of abused and neglected youth. Pongo received a grant of $25,000.
Richard was named a finalist for the "All-Stars Among Us" award from People Magazine and Major League Baseball. He was honored at a Seattle Mariners game in June and interviewed on the post-game show.
Helped youth to write at King County Juvenile Detention, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens individually and in groups within the detention school program (Seattle Public Schools). Ran a training program for five Pongo volunteers (writers, teachers, and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 201 youth (156 in individual sessions).
Helped youth to write at Child Study and Treatment Center, which is Washington State¹s psychiatric hospital for children. Met with teens both individually and in groups within the school program (Firwood Secondary School, Clover Park School District). Ran a training program for five Pongo volunteers (writers, teachers, and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 180 youth (100 in individual sessions).
Helped adult women inmates to write at Mission Creek Corrections Center in Belfair, Washington. Met with women in eight writing workshops as a component of choreographer Pat Graney's "Keeping the Faith" performance project for incarcerated women.
Spoke to conferences and ran professional workshops for trauma therapists at Restorative Retelling Conference (Memphis) and for teachers at Wordstock for Teachers (Portland).
Ran a one-day training for counselors, with representatives from Consejo, East African Services, Clover Park Schools, and others.
Provided training to TCTV (public access TV in Olympia) for teachers in the digital storytelling program for homeless, incarcerated, and other youth.
Spoke to the public (approximately 1,000 people) about the lives of teens through appearances at Bumbershoot Bookfair (Seattle) and Northwest Folklife Festival (Seattle).
Received media attention through articles in Pacific Publishing, The Seattle Times, and City Arts Tacoma.
Received grants from the City of Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs and from 4Culture.
Distributed 296 books for free mostly to teens, but also to libraries, agencies, therapists, and others. Sold another 209 books at book fairs.
2009
Helped youth to write at King County Juvenile Detention, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens individually and in groups within the detention school program (Seattle Public Schools). Ran a training program for five Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 240 youth (195 in individual sessions).
Helped youth to write at Child Study and Treatment Center, which is Washington State¹s psychiatric hospital for children. Met with teens both individually and in groups within the school program (Firwood Secondary School, Clover Park School District). Ran a training program for five Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 180 youth (100 in individual sessions).
Ran a one-day training for counselors, with representatives from King County Probation Department, Ruth Dykeman Center, and others.
Spoke to the public (approximately 1,200 people) about the lives of teens through appearances at Bumbershoot Bookfair (Seattle), Northwest Folklife Festival (Seattle), and Seattle Bookfest.
Received media attention through articles in The Stranger and YES Magazine.
Received grant from the City of Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs.
Distributed 742 books for free mostly to teens, but also to libraries, agencies, therapists, and others. Sold another 284 books at book fairs.
2008
Helped youth to write at King County Juvenile Detention, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens individually and in groups within the detention school program (Seattle Public Schools). Ran a training program for three Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 282 youth (102 in individual sessions).
Helped youth to write at Child Study and Treatment Center, which is Washington State¹s psychiatric hospital for children. Met with teens both individually and in groups within the school program (Firwood Secondary School, Clover Park School District). Ran a training program for five Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 146 youth (96 in individual sessions).
Helped youth to write at Treehouse, an agency serving youth in foster care, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens both individually and in groups within an after-school tutorial program. Ran a training program for three Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 130 youth (90 in individual sessions).
Ran professional workshop for trauma therapists at Restorative Retelling Conference (Seattle).
Ran a one-day training for counselors, with representatives from YWCA, Friends of the Children, and others.
Spoke to the public about the lives of teens through appearances at Bumbershoot Bookfair (Seattle), Northwest Folklife Festival (Seattle), Burning Word poetry festival (Whidbey Island, Washington), Seattle Public Library, and Richard Hugo House (Seattle).
Received media attention through an interview on KUOW radio that included recording of youth working with Pongo and reading their poetry. Received additional media attention through articles in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the Pacific Publishing newspapers (Seattle neighborhoods), and The International Examiner (Seattle).
Received grants from City of Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Norcliffe Foundation.
Distributed 794 books for free mostly to teens, but also to libraries, agencies, therapists, and others. Sold another 252 books at book fairs.
2007
Helped youth to write at King County Juvenile Detention, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens individually and in groups within the detention school program (Seattle Public Schools). Ran a six-month training program for four Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 310 youth (160 in individual sessions).
Helped youth to write at Child Study and Treatment Center, which is Washington State¹s psychiatric hospital for children. Met with teens both individually and in groups within the school program (Firwood Secondary School, Clover Park School District). Ran a six-month training program for five Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 124 youth (108 in individual sessions).
Helped youth to write at Treehouse, an agency serving youth in foster care, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens both individually and in groups within an after-school tutorial program. Ran a six-month training program for three Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 146 youth (96 in individual sessions).
Published 1,500 copies of Love Is Like All the Colors of the Doors in Juvie, a book of poetry from King County Juvenile Detention (Seattle).
Spoke to the public about the lives of teens through appearances at Bumbershoot Bookfair (Seattle), Burning Word poetry festival (Whidbey Island, Washington), Seattle Public Library, and Boys and Girls Club Hip-Hop Night (Seattle).
Received media attention through nomination to be Seattle¹s Poet Populist.
Received grants from City of Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, Seattle Foundation, Kongsgaard-Goldman Foundation, Target, Wizards of the Coast, One Family Foundation, Lucky 7 Foundation, Norcliffe Foundation, Eulalie Bloedel Schneider Foundation.
Distributed 1,082 books for free mostly to teens, but also to libraries, agencies, therapists, and others. Sold another 139 books at book fairs.
2006
Helped youth to write at King County Juvenile Detention, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens individually and in groups within the detention school program (Seattle Public Schools). Ran a six-month training program for five Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 237 youth (102 in individual sessions).
Helped youth to write at Child Study and Treatment Center, which is Washington State¹s psychiatric hospital for children. Met with teens both individually and in groups within the school program (Firwood Secondary School, Clover Park School District). Ran a six-month training program for six Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 136 youth (96 in individual sessions).
Helped youth to write at Treehouse, an agency serving youth in foster care, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens both individually and in groups within an after-school tutorial program. Ran a six-month training program for three Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 110 youth (90 in individual sessions).
Spoke to the public about the lives of teens through appearances at Bumbershoot Bookfair (Seattle), Northwest Folklife Festival (Seattle), Burning Word poetry festival (Whidbey Island, Washington), and Seattle Public Library.
Received grants from City of Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, Kongsgaard-Goldman Foundation, Windermere Foundation, and Eulalie Bloedel Schneider Foundation.
Distributed 1,216 books for free mostly to teens, but also to libraries, agencies, therapists, and others. Sold another 165 books at book fairs.
2005
Helped youth to write at King County Juvenile Detention, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens individually and in groups within the detention school program (Seattle Public Schools). Ran a six-month training program for three Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Ran a six-month training program for six Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 300 youth (120 in individual sessions).
Helped youth to write at Child Study and Treatment Center, which is Washington State¹s psychiatric hospital for children. Met with teens both individually and in groups within the school program (Firwood Secondary School, Clover Park School District). Ran a six-month training program for six Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 210 youth in group sessions.
Published 1,100 copies of My Passion Leaps Out Toward the World, a book of poetry from King County Juvenile Detention (Seattle).
Published 1,050 copies of How Tucked in the Corner Was Sadness, a book of poetry from King County Juvenile Detention (Seattle).
Trained two Pongo volunteers in book editing and publishing techniques.
Ran professional workshop for trauma clinicians at Harborview Hospital (Seattle).
Spoke to adults at Thought Auction (Portland) and Everett Women¹s Book Club (Everett, Washington).
Ran writing workshops for youth at Seattle Public Library.
Spoke to the public about the lives of teens through appearances at Bumbershoot Bookfair (Seattle), Wordstock Festival (Portland), Burning Word poetry festival (Whidbey Island, Washington), and StetSet (Seattle).
Received media attention through interview on Seattle Cable Channel and through article in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Received grants from Kongsgaard-Goldman Foundation, Laurel Foundation, Glaser Foundation, and Eulalie Bloedel Schneider Foundation.
Distributed 1,282 books for free mostly to teens, but also to libraries, agencies, therapists, and others. Sold another 244 books at book fairs.
2004
Helped youth to write at King County Juvenile Detention, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens individually and in groups within the detention school program (Seattle Public Schools). Ran a six-month training program for three Pongo volunteers (mostly teachers and counselors) who worked as a Pongo team at this site. Served a total of 300 youth (120 in individual sessions).
Published 1,500 copies of Because I Didn¹t Know the True Meaning of Love, a book of poetry from King County juvenile detention.
Ran professional workshops at Building on Family Strengths Conference (Portland), Casey Family Programs (Seattle), Cascadia Community College (Bothell, Washington), and at Celldom Heard (Olympia, Washington).
Ran writing workshops for youth at the Unitarian Church, Denny Hall Juvenile Detention (Everett, Washington), Orion Center for homeless youth (Seattle), and Seattle Public Library.
Spoke to the public about the lives of teens through an appearance at Bumbershoot Bookfair (Seattle).
Received media attention through an interview on KUOW radio and through articles in Pacific Publishing newspapers (Seattle neighborhoods).
Received a grant from Windermere Foundation.
Distributed 1,052 books for free mostly to teens, but also to libraries, agencies, therapists, and others. Sold another 120 books at book fairs
2003
Helped youth to write at Lambert House, an activities and resource center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth in Seattle, Washington. The Lambert House population is also 26% homeless, 41% low income, and 44% young people of color. (Sexual minority youth have a higher incidence of victimization and homelessness than the general population.)
Helped youth to write at King County Juvenile Detention, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens individually within the detention school program (Seattle Public Schools).
Ran a six-month training program for five teachers and therapists who learned Pongo teaching techniques while volunteering at King County Juvenile Detention.
Published 1,500 copies of See What Goes On Behind My Masks , a book of poetry from Lambert House, with strong themes of identity, drug use, and relationship.
Ran professional workshops at Building on Family Strengths conference (Portland State University), Griffin Home, Casey Family Programs, and Reclaiming Futures Project (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation).
Ran writing workshops for young people at Thunderbird Treatment Center, Cocoon House, and Child Study and Treatment Center, among others.
Spoke to the public about the lives of teens through appearances at Bumbershoot 2002 Bookfair, Northwest Bookfest, and Bush School, among others.
Received the "Grand Prize" at Bumbershoot 2002 Bookfair, for poems on the theme of "Freedom: What Does It Mean?" by homeless, incarcerated, and institutionalized youth.
Received grants from Starbucks Foundation and Windermere Foundation.
Distributed 1,000 copies of Pongo books for free - mostly to teens in detention, but also to libraries, therapists, and others.
2002
Helped youth to write at Lambert House, an activities and resource center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth in Seattle, Washington. The Lambert House population is also 26% homeless, 41% low income, and 44% young people of color. (Sexual minority youth have a higher incidence of victimization and homelessness than the general population.)
Helped youth to write at King County Juvenile Detention, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens individually within the detention school program (Seattle Public Schools).
Worked with adult men at McNeil Island Correction Center, a Washington State facility, in a therapy group for survivors of childhood abuse. The group was run in collaboration with psychiatrist Ted Rynearson.
Instituted a six-month training program for five teachers and therapists who learned Pongo teaching techniques while volunteering at King County Juvenile Detention.
Ran professional workshops at the conference of the National Association for Poetry Therapy and at Washington State's Children's Justice Conference, among others.
Ran workshops for young people at Thunderbird Treatment Center and at Peace for the Streets, among others.
Spoke to the public about the lives of teens through appearances at Bumbershoot, Northwest Bookfest, University Street Fair, Peace Cafe, Charles Wright Academy, KBCS radio, public access TV, and a Seattle University symposium on "The Language of Emotional Injury", among others.
Distributed 1,000 copies of Pongo books for free - mostly to teens in detention and at Lambert House, but also to libraries, therapists, and others.
2001
Helped the families of juvenile offenders to write their stories, through the Prime Time Project in Seattle, Washington, a program of the University of Washington Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Public Behavioral Health and Justice Policy.
Helped youth to write at Child Study and Treatment Center, which is Washington State's psychiatric hospital for children. Met with teens both individually and in groups within the school program (Firwood Secondary School, Clover Park School District).
Worked with adult men at McNeil Island Correction Center, a Washington State facility, in a therapy group for survivors of traumatic grief and loss. The group was run in collaboration with psychiatrist Ted Rynearson.
Published 2,000 copies of No More Me, a collection of writing by young people in residential psychiatric treatment at Child Study and Treatment Center.
Published 1,500 copies of I Lost My Sense of Protection , a collection of writing by young people in therapy groups on traumatic loss, at Echo Glen Treatment Center, a Washington State juvenile rehabilitation facility.
Received a grant from the Breneman Jaech Foundation.
Completed development of www.pongopublishing.org, the Pongo Publishing web site that includes many pieces of writing by teens who are leading difficult lives.
Participated in the Children's Justice Conference, Seattle Poetry Festival, The Homicide Project, Bumbershoot 2001 Bookfair, Northwest Bookfest, and the National Association of Poetry Therapy Regional Conference, and talked with hundreds of laymen and professionals about the lives of at-risk teens.
Distributed 1600 books for free, including books to Child Study and Treatment Center (300), Echo Glen Children's Center (150), the Separation and Loss Clinic at Virginia Mason Hospital (300), teens in detention and juvenile rehabilitation (300), therapists and project supporters (200), and libraries (50).
2000
Helped teens to write at Echo Glen Children's Center, a Washington State juvenile rehabilitation facility, in the context of a therapy group on grief and traumatic loss, working in collaboration with psychiatrist Ted Rynearson and psychologist Jenny Favell. (Traumatic loss refers to the sudden death of a loved one from such causes as violence, suicide, accident, and overdose.)
Helped jailed teens to write in King County Juvenile Detention, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens individually within the detention school program (Seattle Public Schools).
Published 2,000 copies of What Every Guy Tells Me , a collection of writing from detention, in August.
Received award for "Most Significant Contribution by a Press or Individual" at the Bumbershoot 2000 Book Fair, part of Seattle's annual arts festival. Participated as bookseller in Northwest Bookfest and the Children's Justice Conference in Seattle. Sold approximately 200 books.
Received recognition through news articles in The Seattle Weekly (6/22/00) and Real Change (7/15/00). Interviewed on KBSG Radio "Conversations with Lizz Sommars."
Ran workshops for teens in psychiatric care at Child Study and Treatment Center in Tacoma, Washington. Ran workshops for teens at Seattle Public Library. At the Seattle Poetry Festival, ran workshop for adults on techniques in teaching writing to troubled teens.
Distributed 1,000 copies of Pongo books free - most to teens in detention, in juvenile rehabilitation, in hospital, but also to judges, libraries, charities, teachers, and therapists.
1999
Helped jailed teens to write in King County Juvenile Detention, Seattle, Washington. Met with teens individually within the detention school program (Seattle Public Schools). Published 1,500 copies of the collection Trapped in the Ghetto & The Other Piece of Me in August.
Accepted into book fair at Seattle's annual arts festival, Bumbershoot. Participated as bookseller in Northwest Bookfest and the San Francisco Book Festival. Sold approximately 200 books.
Received recognition through news articles in The Seattle Times (11/12/99) and The Queen Anne News (11/10/99).
Distributed hundreds of copies of Pongo books free - most to teens in detention, but also to judges, libraries, charities, teachers, and therapists.
1998
Helped jailed teens to write in King County Juvenile Detention, Seattle, Washington. Worked with teens in the context of a therapy group on grief and traumatic loss, in collaboration with psychiatrist Ted Rynearson. (Traumatic loss refers to the sudden death of a loved one from such causes as violence, suicide, accident, or overdose.) Published 1,000 copies of the collection I Can't Imagine Myself Any Other Place in August.
Provided 500 copies of I Can't Imagine Myself Any Other Place to the Child Psychiatry Department at Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center, for distribution to judges, clinicians, and others concerned about youth.
Accepted into the book fair at Seattle's annual arts festival, Bumbershoot. Participated as bookseller in Northwest Bookfest. Sold approximately 200 books.
Read creative writing by street youth at Seattle Poetry Festival.
1997
Helped street youth to write at YouthCare's Orion Center, Seattle, Washington during the '96-'97 school year. (YouthCare is a private, non-profit organization providing shelter and other services to homeless teens.) Worked with teens individually and in small groups in the context of the school program (Seattle Public Schools). Published 750 copies of the collection The House on the Corner II in August.
Most copies of The House on the Corner II used by YouthCare for fundraising and community education. (YouthCare ran a successful capitol campaign to build new offices and a shelter with the theme "Building a New House on the Corner." Copies of teen poetry are engraved in the new shelter's lobby.)
Accepted into book fair at Seattle's annual arts festival, Bumbershoot. Participated in Northwest Bookfest also. Sold approximately 200 books, with proceeds going to YouthCare.
1993
Helped street youth to write at YouthCare's Orion Center, Seattle, Washington during the '92-'93 school year. (YouthCare is a private, non-profit organization providing shelter and other services to homeless teens.) Worked with teens in small groups in collaboration with counselor Jennifer Sy. Published 500 copies of the collection The House on the Corner in June.
Most copies of The House on the Corner used by YouthCare for fundraising and community education.
Accepted into the book fair at Seattle's annual arts festival, Bumbershoot, the following year. Sold approximately 100 books, with proceeds going to YouthCare.