OC Language and Literature’s Unaware Project continues for the third edition this year

Language and Literature students have an ongoing partnership with the Oklahoma Youth Academy to help high school students develop strong writing skills.

Students in the Advanced Writing course with Oklahoma Christian University’s Nathan Shank, assistant professor of English, are working on the Unaware Project again in 2022. This project involves editing creative pieces of writing from high school students in Oklahoma who are incarcerated, with the intention of highlighting their academic capabilities. Seventeen juvenile male students from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections are participating with 35 Oklahoma Christian students. In addition to the 17 males, there are five females incarcerated at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center who will have their essays published in this year's edition of Unaware publication. 

Throughout the editing process, students in Shank’s class have written their first reflection on providing feedback to the high school students. This spring, many more rounds of editing will take place. The goal behind the project is to bring light to the talents of students who are in a different learning environment. Due to COVID-19 challenges, Shank’s class is still in the process of figuring out a way that OC students can visit the Mabel Bassett in person this semester to be able to interact with the students in person. 

Shank is hopeful that leadership from the Southwest Oklahoma Juvenile Center may visit OC soon in order to talk about the project and the possibility of an in-person visit with the students involved. 

This year’s Unaware Project is funded by an anonymous donor to again have the collection of writing published and presented in late April. Along with the Advanced Writing class’s work, Eagle Media has been filming during the class to produce a documentary about the project, which is directed by senior Coleman Dillahunty. 

Dillahunty mentioned more ideas that have been brought up to enhance the project.

“We are also hoping for the ability to have the students involved at SWOJC come to OC and share their work with us during the celebration of excellence week,” he said.

To learn more about the history of the Unaware Project, read this story from last semester.