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Georgia College & State University’s (GCSU’s) Andalusia Institute is working to improve writing and reading literacy within Baldwin County through its Writing for Success grant. The Writing for Success Grant is a federally funded project that aims to increase reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in the Baldwin County community. The $385,000 grant assists local educators in developing a fifth-grade literacy curriculum by providing resources that include text sets, classroom supplies, field trips, podcasting and GCSU mentor support.
Project Coordinator Jessica McQuain worked together with BCSD teachers to develop the curriculum, provide resources, and plan events using the grant money.
The inspiration to apply for the grant was a joint decision between Associate Provost and Project Director Dr.
Jordan Cofer and former Andalusia Institute Executive Director Dr.
Irene Burgess. They were seeking opportunities for the institute to connect with the community and make Flannery O’Connor and her works more accessible to the public.
“We talked through several ideas, but the Writing for Success grant is what we decided on because of its widespread impact. We are not only making O’Connor more accessible but are also helping to improve the writing, speaking, and reading skills of our youth,” said Cofer.
Cofer said he was notified last spring of the grant’s approval and received the funds in September. Last November, McQuain was hired to assist in planning the project and immediately began meeting with the Baldwin County School System’s curriculum team to understand what curriculums were already in place and how the grant could support them.
“Our first tasks were to ensure all the fifth graders had the books needed for their curriculum, including Flannery O’Connor: A Girl Who Knew Her Own Mind, The Strange Birds of Flannery O’Connor, and Images of Milledgeville,” said McQuain. “Then we began to work with the Baldwin County School System to provide educational experiences like visiting authors and field trips.”
Midway Hills Academy fifth graders and Lakeview Academy fifth graders were funded to go on field trips to Andalusia Farm and walk through the home of Flannery O’Connor, which inspired multiple pieces of her writing.
“Students have been able to analyze historical documents as well as put themselves in the shoes of Flannery O’Connor by touring her home. It allowed them to think about how an environment can impact a writer and how Milledgeville was a big influence on O’Connor’s writing craft,” said McQuain.
As part of the educational experience, the fifth graders also were able to meet the author of Flannery O’Connor: A Girl Who Knew Her Own Mind. Mary Carpenter visited Midway Hills Academy and Lakeview Academy for a two-week writing residency.
According to McQuain, Carpenter led the students in writing exercises and encouraged them to find inspiration in the places they live. She also taught them more about Milledgeville’s influence on O’Connor’s writing and discussed her book in more detail.
“Much of what I say about Flannery and my biography of her is connected to Georgia.
Even after she was compelled at age 25, because of her lupus, to return to Georgia and to move back in with her mother, Flannery said, ‘The best of my writing has been done here,’” said Carpenter in a press release.
Cofer and McQuain said they hoped the interactions with Carpenter showed students that writing in a cycle can be impacted greatly by the environment surrounding a writer and what the writer may be experiencing in their own life.
“This goal is another reason we have had GCSU mentors working with students in-school with personal writing. They offer conferences and advise students to help them on their journey of becoming a writer,” said McQuain. “I have had several teachers inform me that our mentors are inspiring students to enjoy writing and be more involved in the classroom.” Andalusia Institute is committed to preserving the literacy legacy of Flannery O’Connor and supporting young writers by using the inspiration of O’Connor’s works to deepen the creative process and knowledge of the writing cycle overall.
Cofer and McQuain hope to continue using the grant to fund even more opportunities for students and expressed deep gratitude to everyone who has worked to make an impact with them through the Writing for Success program.