Studio Blog
- Solomon Poretsky
- Lalla Scotter
- Sarabeth Asaff
- Timothy Plaehn
- Katherine Garfield
- Madison Carter
- Cathryn Chaney
- David Lipscomb
- David Weedmark
- Jeff Grundy
- Suzanne Robin
- Gregory Hamel
- Julie Christensen
- Alan Sembera
- Tom Streissguth
- Kay Tang
- Sara Ipatenco
- Ruri Ranbe
- Lisa McQuerrey
- Mark Kennan
- Kathryn Hatter
- Van Thompson
- Melissa King
- David Nield
- Fred Decker
- Dave Samuels
- Jenny Harrington
- C. Taylor
- Chris Deziel
- M.H. Dyer
- William McCoy
- Kay Ireland
- Fraser Sherman
- Andrew Tennyson
- Zora Hughes
- Beth Greenwood
- Paige Turner
- Teo Spengler
- Sarah Morse
Don’t forget that this promotion happens every month, so if you didn’t qualify this time you can work towards it for May.
Congratulations everyone!
Work/Life Balance Award
Writer Jesse Dagilis and her fiancé recently got engaged and are working with an extremely strict budget. After covering regular expenses like their mortgage and other bills, every other cent goes into the wedding fund. We’re happy to give them a little extra help as they get ready for the big day. Congratulations, Jesse!
Writer Heather Clark has truly ridden a rollercoaster of life events over the past few years. After losing her brother to cancer, to going through a divorce and then losing a close friend to cancer as well, all Heather wants to do is have a weekend away with her daughter without having to worry about expense. We hope you enjoy your girls’ weekend in Nashville, Heather.
Professional Resources Grant
Writer Brett Levine left his full time job late last year in order to move home with his wife and take care of an ailing family member. Writing is his sole source of income and he does it all on an outdated laptop from 2007. Now Brett is getting an upgrade courtesy of the Studio to help him focus on achieving his professional goals.
Big congratulations to all of our winners!
Sure that sounds like a lot of books, but here’s some perspective. The average public school library has about 12,500 books on their shelves. So yes, you essentially donated an entire library to over 10,000 children who will make great use of books they otherwise would not have had access to. We feel immensely proud to be a part of this and so should each and every one of you.
First Book was also able to provide us with a list of just some of the programs that Demand Media you were able to help with this campaign. Here are 38 schools and afterschool programs across 24 states that your donations went to:
Princess Enrichment Tutorial Services - Harvest, AL
South Arkansas Migrant Education Cooperative - Hope, AR
The Birthday Book Project - Forrest City, AR
The Future is Bright at Seeley Union School District - Seeley, CA
Sheilds For Families Jenesse House Didi Hirsch - Los Angeles, CA
Stonehurst Elementary - Sun Valley, CA
Lauderdale Lakes School - Lauderdale Lakes, FL
Eccleston Elementary School - Orlando, FL
Bess the Book Bus Inc. - Oldsmar, FL
Wright Elementary - Ft. Walton Beach, FL
Early County Literacy Task Force - Blakely, GA
SCICAP Early Childhood Program Early Head Start and Head Start - Chariton, IA
Garden City Library - Garden City , ID
The Foster Grandparent Program of the Treasure Valley - Boise, ID
St. Genevieve Catholic School - Chicago, IL
Head Start and Girl Scouts - Roann, IN
Franklin Elementary - Junction City, KS
Loranger Middle School - Loranger , LA
Volunteers of America Parents As Teachers and Nurturing Parenting Program - Alexandria, LA
Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences - Detroit, MI
Gaudior Academy - Inkster, MI
Project CARE - Starkville, MS
Mt. Gilead Elementary School - Mount Gilead, NC
Buckshutem Road Elementary School Library - Bridgeton, NJ
Hope Community Charter School - Sicklerville, NJ
Silver Health CARE - Silver City, NM
Mirabal Sisters Campus Community School of the Children's Aid Society - New York , NY
Nationwide Children’s Hospital – Reach Out and Read - Columbus, OH
Driftwood Elementary - Port Orford, OR
Future Minds Inc. - Philadelphia, PA
Heritage Middle School - Colleyville, TX
Sharpstown High School - Houston, TX
C. D. Fulkes Middle School - Round Rock, TX
G.H. Reid Elementary School - Richmond, VA
Mustard Seed Neighborhood Center - Wenatchee, WA
Parenting Matters Foundation - Sequim, WA
A Book for You - Yakima, WA
Tina’s Tots - Racine, WI
So thank you for being a part of this program and helping in the fight to end illiteracy. This amazing goal could not have been achieved if it was not for the hard work and dedication of every last member of our Studio community.
In case you forgot, here are the perks of being an Ace Writer:
- A $200 bonus for hitting the 75 articles in a month milestone
- An additional $250 bonus for hitting the 125 article milestone
- An increased claim limit
Congratulations to the Ace Writers for March:
- Lisa McQuerrey
- Jenny Harrington
- Kathryn Hatter
- Mark Kennan
- Aurelio Locsin
- C. Taylor
- Fred Decker
- David Nield
- Dave Samuels
- Van Thompson
- William McCoy
- Zora Hughes
- Richard Rowe
- Rosenya Faith
- Chris Deziel
- Tony Guerra
- Beverly Bird
- Nicole Vulcan
- Andrew Tennyson
- Jessica Mahoney
- Rick Suttle
- Fraser Sherman
- Beth Greenwood
- Cecilia Harsch
- Melissa King
- Kay Ireland
- Ashley Miller
- April Sanders
- M.H. Dyer
- Sarah Morse
- Paige Turner
- Ruth Mayhew
- Teo Spengler
Remember that this is an ongoing program, so you have the chance to qualify every month. Visit the Studio Promotions forum for all the details on this program.
One book can make the difference in the life of a child who is just learning to read or cannot spend their family’s money on a book. And all it takes for you to deliver a book to that child is to write or edit 10 more articles over the next 10 days. Remember, your 10 Studio assignments will directly impact the life of a child and make a difference in the fight against child illiteracy.
To remind everyone of how important this is, we are asking you the pledge to donate one more book this month by signing the pledge form online.
You can also keep track of our progress towards our goal on the Demand Media Studios Facebook page. So be sure to sign the pledge today and help us put more books into classrooms and afterschool programs across the country.
March was a slow month for grant applications, so this time around we are only giving out two awards. Congratulations to this month’s winners:
Writer Melodie Ann has had a very turbulent few months. Between minor surgery, the loss of a best friend, and the loss of her cat, Melodie has been fairly stressed out. Now with her birthday weekend coming up, Melodie could use a weekend off to treat herself to some rest, relaxation and a pedicure. We hope you enjoy your birthday, Melodie!
Filmmaker Camille Domain is based out of New York City. After hurricane Sandy, freelance filmmaking jobs weren’t as bountiful as they once were. But with opportunities starting to reappear, Camille could really use a new laptop to help work on the go. Now she can not only monitor what’s being filmed, but she can edit on set as well. Good luck, Camille!
Don’t forget, we accept applications for all of our grants during the first seven days of every month. Don’t miss out on your chance at a $250 Work/Life Balance Award, a brand new laptop, paid conference registration or a 3-month membership to a co-working space of your choice!
We just finished looking at all of our active writers from February and we now get to introduce our freshmen class of Ace Writers. In addition to a bonus of $200 for reaching 75 articles in a month and an additional $250 bonus for reaching 125 articles, we want to really showcase these writers. Be sure to visit our Facebook page where we will be spotlighting their Studio Profiles over the coming days.
We also just added a new perk to being an Ace Writer: an increased claim limit of 50 articles!
And without further ado, congratulations to our Ace Writers:
- Dave Samuels
- Van Thompson
- Kathryn Hatter
- Jenny Harrington
- Fred Decker
- Sara Ipatenco
- Scott Thompson
- Beverly Bird
- William McCoy
- Fraser Sherman
- Aurelio Locsin
- Ruri Ranbe
- Zora Hughes
- Kevin Lee
- Mark Kennan
- Chris Deziel
For those of you who didn’t make it as an Ace Writer for February, remember that you are still eligible to join the club for March. Visit the Studio Promotions forum for more information.
It’s that time again! It’s time for us to announce the winners of our Enrichment Opportunities Program for February. Please join us in congratulating the following members of our community.
Work/Life Balance Award
Writer Jane Williams recently lost an important part of her home – her washing machine. Since then she has been taking a trip down memory lane by using a 1050s wringer washer due to the high cost of a new washing machine. Now Jane will be able to retire the wringer in favor of a new 21st century washer.
Writer Cynthia Domenghini left her full-time job back in August to pursue her writing career and spend time with her five year old son. She and her husband are also in the process of expanding their family by adopting a little girl from Ethiopia. This joy brings with it some serious financial stress that the Studio is more than happy to help with.
Writer Anthony Oster and his fiancé are both active contributors to the Studio. That’s why they plan on creating a brand new home office where they can spend time together while working. This grant will help cover the cost of a new wall, paint, and electrical work for their home improvement project.
Writer Dachell McSween was recently elected president of a Harlem-based nonprofit that provides free programs and resources to young people in their neighborhood. This new responsibility in addition to her other non-profit work is starting to take time away from her work with the Studio. This grant should help Dachell stay on top of her bills while she takes on this new role.
Professional Resources Grant
Writer Drea Christopher has spent the past two years homeschooling her Autistic daughter. This required a lot of changes around the house including turning her home computer into an integral part of the classroom set up in the master bedroom. With a new laptop, Drea can get her writing done at night without dismantling the school room setting.
Co-Working Award
Writer Eulalia Palomo lives in Port Townsend, which is about an hour and a half outside of Seattle. While she loves the small town feel, she has been feeling a bit isolated. Eulalia’s prayers were answered when The Port Townsend Coworking Group announced they were opening the town’s first ever co-working space. Now Eulalia will have the funding to cover three months of membership in this new space.
Remember, applications for all awards are accepted during the first seven days of each month. Be sure to get your March application in!
Here's what Karen had to say about her experience:
I just thought I'd follow up to let you know how happy this work-life balance award made me! I went volunteering Thursday, and it was such a nice relief when I got home that I didn't have to worry so much about making up the work hours I missed.
I've attached a couple of pictures. Amazingly, the situation on Staten Island is much the same as it was when I first started volunteering after the storm. The picture of me in front of the big pile was taken on Thursday -- we'd just finished clearing out a collapsed shed, so the pile is full of the stuff that was in the shed (everything got swamped and was filled with storm water or covered in mold) and the pieces of the shed itself.
It's exhausting work, but a nice change from sitting in front of my computer! And it means a lot to me that Demand has been so supportive.
Thanks,
Karen
It’s once again time to announce the winners of our Enrichment Opportunities Program for this month. Please join us in congratulating the following members of our community.
Work/Life Balance Award
Writer Melody Dawn and her husband have been married for 15 years. Between five children to raise and two busy schedules, this couple has never had the time or funds to take a trip on their own. Now Melody and her husband are able to plan a romantic getaway for their anniversary. Have fun, Melody!
Copy editor and Copy Chief Karen Sherman has been spending a lot of time volunteering with relief organizations since Superstorm Sandy hit New York. Unfortunately, taking time out of her schedule to volunteer has a real impact on her income. This grant will allow Karen more time to volunteer without stressing about her finances. Keep up the great work, Karen!
Writer Melissa Willets works at home with two small children and one more on the way. Without her own workspace, she often finds herself working in the midst of domestic chaos. Melissa will use this award to purchase a desk in order to make her own personal, dedicated work space at home. We hope you enjoy your work haven, Melissa!
Writer Tricia Chaves has been working from her husband’s native Rio de Janeiro for the past few years, but the family is finally relocating back to the U.S. Travel and relocation costs are starting to pile up, so this grant will help relieve some of the stress on Tricia and her family. Safe travels, Tricia!
Professional Resources Grant
Writer Bonnie Weinstein Crowe is the busy mother of a figure skating daughter and an autistic son. Because of that, Bonnie spends most of her time hanging out in ice rinks and therapy waiting rooms. With a brand new laptop, Bonnie will be able to work on her writing instead of catching up on those waiting room magazines. Congrats, Bonnie!
All Access Pass
Writer Alice Drinkworth has been a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators since 2004. She has been able to meet other writers and gain valuable information from attending regional events, but she has wanted to attend one of the organization’s annual international conferences. As her first novel was published in 2012, this is the perfect time to attend. Enjoy the conference, Alice!
Remember, applications for all awards are accepted during the first seven days of each month. Be sure to get your February application in!
