2023-2024 DtWT Educator Packet (pdf)
DownloadTo: All Participating Pittsburgh Area Schools
Welcome to the 2024 Pittsburgh “Do the Write Thing” (DtWT)!
We are very pleased to have you and your students involved in this unique program designed to give 6th, 7th & 8th grade students the opportunity to communicate their thoughts on the impact of violence on their lives and to make personal commitments to reduce violence.
The Pittsburgh DtWT is a program of the Allegheny County Family Courts under the direction of
Judge Dwayne D. Woodruff and his co-chair wife, Joy Maxberry Woodruff. More than 14,500
students have submitted writings to the program since its inception in 2008 and over 1,450
students have been honored at the annual DtWT Dinner Celebration, which brings together
students from many school districts across Allegheny County.
At the dinner, the male and female National Ambassador students are announced! The national
ambassadors will represent the Pittsburgh area and be honored in Washington, DC, along with
their teacher and a parent during the DtWT National Recognition Week. The ambassadors meet with national leaders/policymakers to discuss youth violence issues and a book of their writings is inducted into the United States Library of Congress.
Due to the generosity of our sponsors (listed below), we award Lap-top Computers, E-Readers,
E- Tablets and Steelers tickets to the 6 students judged to have the best overall writings, while
their teachers receive monetary & other awards. We also award the top student writers from each school with a DtWT shirt and other educational award items.
Do the Write Thing entries will be accepted starting on Friday December 15, 2023, and the final deadline for submission of student writings to the Pittsburgh DtWT office is 5:00 pm on Friday, January 12, 2024. The coordinators will make arrangements to collect the written submissions, or you can email submissions to pittdtwt.entries@gmail.com. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns, 412-350-6263.
Sincerely,
Judge Dwayne D. Woodruff, Chair Carlena Jenkins, Co-coordinator
Joy Maxberry Woodruff, Co-chair Louis Ransom, Jr. Co-coordinator
──────── Pittsburgh DtWT Sponsors ────────
HIGHMARK Blue Cross Blue Shield
Diehl Automotive Group UPMC Alaska Center for Pain Relief
Pittsburgh Steelers HIGHMARK Wholecare Pittsburgh Pirates