While many youngsters in Turlock are out of school for the summer, 15 are hard at work learning to use written words to communicate better.

Every summer since 1989, some Stanislaus County teachers have been involved in a children’s program called “Young Writer’s Workshop,” which is affiliated with the Great Valley Writing Project at Cal State Stanislaus, said Casey Giffen, eighth-grade language-arts teacher at Teale Middle School in Empire.

Kaye Osborn, who teaches special education at Lakewood School in Modesto, started the workshop to help children with their writing. She and Giffen were at the workshop at CSUS on Thursday.

The project’s focus is on thinking and writing skills that can transform ideas into written compositions. The 10-day program, which started Monday, provides lessons for four hours a day for children from fourth to eighth grade.

This year the program is trying something new. “The class will have a sleep-over at the college dorms,” Osborn said. Students will stay at the CSUS dorms tonight to get a feel for what its like to be in college.

Not only is the project a great place for children to develop their writing talents, Osborn said, “A lot of friendships are made that last a long time.”

A mixture of students are in the classroom. These are students who enjoy writing, but help with writing structure.

“They are young, emerging writers,” Osborn said.

The project is a great way to get students prepared and help them with writing exams.” Osborn said, which most schools have now.

“I enjoy writing and wanted to be involved,” Giffen said. “My son started coming to this class when he was in sixth grade now he is in the class as a high school helper.”

Sarah Randall is one of the students in the class who said she enjoys working on the assignments.

“I like it because it’s fun and you get to share what you write,” Randall said.

Student Evin Doscher was cutting out words printed in magazine to “write” a story.

“It’s neat how you could get all these words out of advertisements - I finally found a use for them,” she said. “You have fun while your learning.”

“The parents get to come to class on the last Friday so that their children get the chance to share stuff that they have written,” Osborn said.

Parents will watch a skit the class has been putting together, which they will rehearse next week.

Also, a published poet will be coming to the class next week to help students with their writing.

The class costs $250, but scholarships are available to children who need them, the teachers said.