Open to students of all ages, Storytime Spotlight, Youth Writers Camp & Hip-Hop Camp sessions run January- June 2023
The August Wilson African American Cultural Center (AWAACC), one of the largest non-profit cultural organizations in the country focused exclusively on the African American experience and the arts of the African diaspora, today announced dates and additional details for its Spring youth educational programming. The fifth annual Youth Writers Camp sessions will take place virtually on February 4th, March 25th, April 8th, May 13th, and June 3rd. The second annual Storytime Spotlight sessions will take place February 28th, April 25th, and June 27th virtually. The second annual Hip-Hop Camp: Music sessions will take place April 22 (in person), May 6th (virtual), May 20th (in person), and June 10th (in person). All 3 events are part of the non-profit organization’s ongoing programming to advance Wilson’s legacy and champion future innovators in arts and culture. Youth Writers Camp is designed to address contemporary issues, including topics related to social justice, while at the same time keeping August Wilson’s literary legacy as a core objective. Writers camp sessions are open to all middle and high school students with a love of writing, from poetry and plays, to short stories, songwriting, and more. During each session, time will be allotted for discussions, reading, writing, and sharing; allowing students to freely express themselves in a nurturing artistic environment. Storytime Spotlight is an educational series that introduces young children (ages 3-10) to books that features stories, songs, rhymes, and fingerplays. This series highlights Black and Brown children’s book authors and will feature conversations and a live reading with the author. Hip-Hop Camp: Music focus on the history and evolution of hip-hop, lyrical content and artistic responsibility, and discover the connection between August Wilson and hip-hop music. Hip-Hop camp sessions are suitable for high school students, and they will learn the importance of hip-hop and the role of rap music, how to create their own song including verses, chorus, and bridge, stage performance, and will prepare their own song that will be performed at our March 18, 2023 AWCommunity Day.
“The educational offerings at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center are expanding as we enter the 2023-2024 season. Youth Writers Camp is one of the Center’s cornerstones programs as we continue to uphold the legacy of our native son, August Wilson” said AWAACC Director of Education Cathryn Calhoun. “The hip-hop camp gives us an opportunity to connect with new audiences who may not be familiar with Wilson’s work, but will quickly learn that Black culture, rhythm, and vernacular are all intrinsically tied to both the music and Wilson’s writings.”
The AWAACC thanks F.N.B., Comcast, UPMC and UPMC Health Plan, and PPG Foundation for their support of our education programs. The AWAACC is supported in part by the taxpayers of Allegheny County through a public grant from the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD). RAD works here.
Tickets for all sessions of each camp are on sale now on our website. To learn more about the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, its year-round activities, and August Wilson: A Writer’s Landscape, please visit awaacc.org.
Teaching Artists
ChaRon Don
A Hip-hop advocate, educator and emcee, Pittsburgh native ChaRon Don has acquired the type of independent success that is only achieved through hard work and honing your creativity. Over two decades of writing, recording, and performing, this emcee finds himself as both student and teacher within the Hip-hop culture, keeping him fully attentive to the role he plays within it. A Brilliant songwriter, performer, and international recording artist ChaRon Don has shared stage and recordings with a countless amount of both local and national musicians. An artist not afraid to adapt to change he finds his level of comfort somewhere between education and entertainment. Using word and sound as his instruments, His style of Rap is made up of True lyricism and Intention. Building a supportive fan base has been an ongoing mission since his first works independently released in Highschool in the late 1990s. This mission has kept him inspired not only online but in person in his day-to-day life.
ChaRon Don is part of a rap duo alongside DJ Huggy as group “Handsdown” as well as a 4-man super group “JuJu Mob”. ChaRon’s subject matter is as flexible as it is expressive ranging in sounds of highly competitive bars to braggadocios, to positive message music for his people and culture. With over five years of experience as teacher artist for Carnegie Mellon Universities “Urban Hip-hop Program”, ChaRon empowers the youth in Pittsburgh public schools from 3rd grade level to college, teaching the process of creating Hip-hop Music. This sharing of technique and skill is a driving force to why ChaRon Don continues to build bridges between community and school. A world traveler who has visited over 10 countries carrying pieces of each place within his lifestyle thus creating a perspective which goes far beyond his small industrial city hometown.
Most recently ChaRon Don has been working on his most grand project to date, his 7th solo album “Watching You Watching Me” a visual album/short film composed of 10 music videos. Though opportunity and success have not been foreign in the career of ChaRon Don up to this point, ChaRon feels he has a lot more work to do both on the stage and in the classroom. Though it’s been years of sacrifice and dedication he feels he is just getting started. With this type of gift, grace, and gratitude in music we can only imagine the next brick that is to be laid upon the legacy he is building.
Dionna Westry
Ms. Dionna Westry is an English Language Arts (ELA) teacher at Pittsburgh Clayton Academy. Ms. Westry teaches 10th and 11th grade English, as well as 9th grade Creative Writing. Ms. Westry’s teaching journey began at The Academy Charter School in 2013 teaching 8th and 9th grade English Language Arts and Creative Writing. Working here is where she discovered her love for education and her passion for helping young scholars be the best that they can. It is her dream to continue to be a positive mentor, and a person who encourages sand helps students see the value and importance of obtaining an education.
Ms.Westry obtained her Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Slippery Rock University. Currently, she is working on obtaining her Master of Education degree at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Outside of teaching, Ms. Westry enjoys writing, reading, and learning new things. Ms. Westry is dedicated to education and the unity of our students, families, and schools.
Carla Knight
Carla Knight is an English Language Arts (ELA) teacher at Manchester Academic Charter School. She teaches 8th grade Cultural Literacy, a collaboration class between traditional History, Social Studies and ELA classes. Knight has taught for 7 years and enjoys giving her students an opportunity to connect with the world through reading, writing for expression, and speaking for change. She motivates her students by encouraging them to “use your pen as your tool, change the world with your words.” Knight is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications and in 2022, she earned a master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Aside from teaching, Knight enjoys reading and volunteering for community programs.
