Missouri Alice Williams

“I think reading is a critical base for many things. The more you read, the better writer you become, and for performance, storytelling is key.”  -Missouri Alice Williams

When Missouri was a kindergartner at Reiche Elementary, she participated in a LearningWorks summer Story Camp for six weeks. Both of Missouri’s parents are professional writers, and books and reading were a big part of her everyday life. However, she struggled with comprehension. Being able to participate in one of our free literacy programs helped her get the best possible start in school.

Now, at the age of 23, she considers herself a lifelong reader and writer, and has had her poetry published professionally. She is also a singer and performer, and her current goal is to become a music educator.

Photography courtesy of Claire Houston

This picture of Missouri at our summer Story Camp is from an old Portland Press Herald article published in 2000 that we found in the attic of our building on Brackett Street!