In pursuit of
knowledge and freedom of expression
Students of all abilities and backgrounds need every possible advantage to reach – and exceed – their goals in life, school, higher education, and careers. The world is more fast-paced and everyone is expected to keep up.
PROBLEM
With multiple distractions and stress in their lives, young people often miss out on chances to experience and learn new things, reach their goals, and excel.
SOLUTION
The Knowledge Project, “TKP.” Educators and parents have come to us to collaborate on alternative strategies that meet and exceed a School Education Plan and Standards. We challenge students to set personal goals and provide them with the coaching, knowledge, and strategies to achieve each benchmark. We emphasize process, structure, and character. The result: self-reliant students who envision, write and communicate well.
OUR STORY
The Knowledge Project (TKP) was formed several years after the national Children’s Creative Writing Campaign (CCWC) was started in 1993 by Margaret Hunnewell. As a professional and young parent with a passion for reading and storytelling, she became an advocate for young people, using her skills as a producer, media-maker, and digital technology pioneer who created one of the first online database and services companies. “Playing to a student’s strengths works,” is her long-standing motto.
Through the CCWC and TKP, parents, strategic partners, sponsors, coaches, and teachers, learned to cultivate critical thinking and creative writing in students. Students K- 12 were paired with professionals in writing, publishing, and performing arts industries, in innovative ways to solve a problem or complete a project. Partnerships brought in librarians, authors, journalists, playwrights, animators, mapping and data analysts, and content specialists to student projects, resulting in publications, animated films, and performances – live and digital.
Great mentors tapped by Ms. Hunnewell to guide TKP in starting this endeavor included - Richard Sterling of The Writing Project; Nancy Shapiro, former Executive Director of Teachers & Writers Collaborative; Wendy Kopp, founder of Teach for America, and Edward Gottsman, systems developer for Lexis. The meld of expertise and ingenuity in support of TKP’s mission and values, shaped a new course for student achievement, as documented in CCWC's Story Archive of over 360,000 student works.
TKP is currently working on an initiative in response to drops in literacy levels nationwide. Writing and communication are evergreen, the essential tools for knowledge acquisition and success. In response to Covid-19 restrictions and challenges, building resilience and a positive mindset into all TKP projects is a focus.
TKP’s goal and mission to guide the next generation of writers, creatives, and communicators to express themselves with knowledge and discernment, continues to unfold. Students are encouraged to pay it forward whenever possible. In-person and virtual courses and events uphold TKP’s original intent to cultivate each student’s strengths and creative potential.
CURRENT INITIATIVES & PROGRAMS
TKP developed out of a national creative writing initiative, Children’s Creative Writing Campaign and a wide range of programs designed to enrich K – 12 academics in New York schools through writing, communication and the arts. Integrated in all our programs are S.M.A.R.T goals.
Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Relevant. Time-Bound.
I Write &GO
Authors and writing experts are matched with developing young writers (K - 5th grade) and aspiring teen writers to inspire storytelling or discuss what makes a compelling story and to write.
I WRITE & GO creates a real-time writing experience for children, teens and authors.
The Children’s Creative Writing Campaign (CCWC)
CCWC launched in 1993 and incorporated as a Federal 501(c)(3) in 1995, offers a nationwide network of schools an annual campaign that promotes creative writing for student writers and artists (pre-k to 8th grade), and an audience outside the classroom. Students submit original work annually for review by a volunteer reading committee of writers, publishers and story developers. Every young author who submits their writing is acknowledged.
Winter 2022 Courses
THE TEAM
Margaret Hunnewell
Founder / Executive Director
Former journalist, story developer, producer and production supervisor of motion pictures, television, radio, theater and dance productions. Member of the Directors Guild of America East, NY Women in Film, Theater and Television, Women’s National Book Association and the Parents Club of West Point. Ms. Hunnewell is a graduate of Bennington College and the Université de Grenoble, France. Committed to elevating knowledge and learning through literacy, writing, media and the arts, she founded the CCWC initiative in the early 90s and The Knowledge Project in 2000.
Sheila Lewis
Lead Trainer, Grant Writer and Content Developer
Educator, author, curriculum writer, editor and tutor who has taught writing, creative arts, and social-emotional learning. Ms. Lewis is a graduate of Boston University School of the Arts and Teachers College, Columbia University. She trains coaches and teachers to integrate their knowledge and creativity into their work with students, and has worked on content and program initiatives for The Knowledge Project since 1998.
Susi Tanu
Financial and Office Administrator
Financial and office administrator since coming from Indonesia in 1998, Ms. Tanu joined the organization in 1999. She received her BA in Accounting from Atma Jaya University. She maintains the financial records, prepares reports for the Board to review, and oversees fiscal budgeting for grants. She has weathered many storms (literally, Hurricane Sandy) and changes in city administrations and continues to keep the office (on-site and virtual) running smoothly.
Sadaf Padder
Program Director & Outreach Coordinator
Graduate of George Washington University (BA) and Johns Hopkins University School of Education (MAT), Ms. Padder has spent eight years working in the Baltimore and Brooklyn school systems before founding Alpha Arts Alliance, an art collective focused on accessibility and mentorship. She shares her passion for teaching and mentoring students and a commitment to bringing the arts to every child to The Knowledge Project, since jumping on board in Fall, 2020.
Eric Boscia
Creative Director
Jonathan Silveira
Communications and IT Manager
Graduate from Johns Hopkins University with a BA in Latin American Studies and a minor in Film and Media studies, Jonathan possesses both the creative mind and technical know-how to provide IT support for coaches, students, and staff to optimize the use of the online tools available, and joined the grateful team in 2020.
Rachel Burkhardt
Digital Marketing Consultant
Rachel is a graduate of Catholic University in DC and an actor in New York City. She also teaches Pure Barre, a pilates and ballet inspired fitness class. In addition to all of her creative pursuits, she is happy to serve as a digital marketing consultant for The Knowledge Project with an extensive background in the ever changing world of social media.