Can I get a refund for a cancellation or a pro-rated rate for partial attendance?
How many students are in a class?
What if my child is not very enthusiastic about attending and does not like to write?
Who are the instructors? What are their qualifications?
What kinds of writing activities take place?
Are there any family activities during the camp?
Will computers and technology be available?
Will there be an emphasis on conventions like grammar and spelling?
Can my child miss the first several days of camp and still attend the rest of camp?
If our family leaves for a vacation the last day or last two days of camp can they still enroll in the program?
Can my child miss any days in the middle part of the program?
Can I pay for part of camp if we can’t attend the whole time?
My child is very shy, and I am afraid she or he will not participate in Young Writers’ Camp.
I’d like to carpool…can you help with that?
Can I get a refund for a cancellation or a pro-rated rate for partial attendance?
Cancellations and Withdrawals
- Camp sessions may be cancelled due to public health epidemic or pandemic, natural disaster, public safety restrictions, and other unforeseen circumstances. Full refund available.
- Camp sessions may be canceled if minimum enrollment is not met. Full refund available.
Other than providing the refunds described, the Bay Area Writing Project (BAWP) is not responsible or liable for any losses arising out of such cancellation of BAWP Young Writers Camps and will not provide any other compensation. Refunds will be made directly to the credit card or original form of payment that was used in the purchase.
Camp Withdrawals
If you wish to withdraw, please submit a notification to our office at bawp@berkeley.edu. An email must be submitted by the individual who initially completed the purchase. Refunds will be processed as detailed below and may be offered in the original form of payment. Please note, all check payments require the completion of the UC Berkeley vendor application. You can review the vendor application HERE.
- Withdrawal requests received by May 15, 2022 will be processed with a $50.00 cancellation fee.
- Withdrawal requests received after May 15, 2022 will be processed with a $100.00 cancellation fee.
- No refunds will be issued on or after the Friday before the start of camp. (Example: If camp begins on 6/13 refunds will not be available for any cancellations made after 11:59pm on Thursday, 6/9).
- Withdrawal refunds are for the cost of camp only and do not include any course fees.
- Please feel free to contact the office with questions at any point during this process – bawp@berkeley.edu
How many students are in a class?
We limit each class to approximately 20 students. We intentionally keep class sizes low so that students and teachers can interact as often as possible. You can expect your child to receive a balance of group instruction as well as individualized attention. Jump to Top
What if my child is not very enthusiastic about attending and does not like to write?
We discourage parents from enrolling their child if they are not interested in attending. In the case of children who do not like to write, it is important to remember campers will spend a couple hours every day writing, so if your child does not like to write, this is probably not the camp for them. Jump to Top
Who are the instructors? What are their qualifications?
Young Writers Camp Teacher-Consultants are exceptional teachers who are experts on language, writing, and literacy. Each teacher has completed a five-week intensive, invitational Summer Institute at the Bay Area Writing Project at UC Berkeley. These teachers are often mentor teachers who serve to build the teaching capacity of other teachers because of their expertise. Jump to Top
What kinds of writing activities take place?
Much of our daily writing activities are modeled after our Summer Institute, which all of the YWC teachers have previously attended, and which is a model that has received national recognition for its impact on the teaching of writing. While each camp tailors their specific structure to the needs of their students, there are some general structures that can be expected across our programs. Every camp includes a balance of genres so that all students are able to discover new types of writing and approaches. Many days begin with journal writing, and a portion of the day is devoted to writers’ workshops where students work on individual pieces of their choice, such as short stories or poetry. Also, there is time for students to have individual and group conferences with the teacher to help guide and develop their writing. Our staff spends whole days together in the early spring planning the content and structure of camp. Jump to Top
Are there any family activities during the camp?
Yes, we offer a Family Write Night each summer. Families are welcome to join us for an evening of fun where they can explore writing with their child. Jump to Top
Will there be an emphasis on conventions like grammar and spelling?
Students can expect to conference with their teachers. During these conferences, the teacher will provide overall feedback on the structure and content of the piece. As students fine-tune their writing in subsequent drafts, teacher can provide instruction on conventions. As students write more, their writing improves and they are more ready for some tailored instruction on conventions, and conferences provide this opportunity. Jump to Top
Can my child miss the first several days of camp and still attend the rest of camp?
The first several days of camp are very important because we will be building a community of writers who begin to feel comfortable with each other. We learn how to listen to and respond to each other’s writing in sensitive ways. Because the camp is short, we prefer campers to be there each day from the very beginning. Jump to Top
If our family leaves for a vacation the last day or last two days of camp can they still enroll in the program?
We discourage parents and campers from missing these last days because it’s when campers reap the benefits of all of their hard work. However, we understand if there is no way to change summer plans. Jump to Top
Can my child miss any days in the middle part of the program?
We strongly advise parents not to enroll their children under circumstances where they will have to miss a portion of the middle of camp. It is important for your child to attend the whole program in order to maximize their learning experience. Jump to Top
Can I pay for part of camp if we can’t attend the whole time?
No, because of limited space we have a waiting list of campers who otherwise could have filled your child’s space. Also, we encourage students to attend for the entire camp. Jump to Top
My child is very shy, and I am afraid she or he will not participate in Young Writers Camp.
Our staff will do everything possible to make your child feel comfortable. Many of the campers have never met each other before and feel uneasy about having new experiences. We spend a portion of each day working to build a safe, positive community for the writers in attendance. Jump to Top
I’d like to carpool…can you help with that?
If a parent agrees that BAWP can share his or her name and contact information with other interested parents, we can help facilitate setting up carpool teams. Jump to Top
BAWP Writing Programs 