Writing for A Reason

By Debra Viadero

The idea of going to a community center two afternoons a week to work on writing projects didn't appeal to Michael Mossesso. Writing in school had never been pleasant for him. In fact, a high school English teacher once told him his writing was "too scary and depressing."

But Mossesso, a gregarious 18-year-old growing up in one of this city's troubled Northside neighborhoods, knew the youth coordinator at the Community Literacy Center. Besides, he wanted a chance to "check out the females" who might show up. So he went.

Now, Mossesso says it was well worth the trip. He discovered that he liked to write after all--at least the way the center let him do it. "It's not like for an English teacher," he explains. "When we do our writing here, that's us...