Calling all young writers and storytellers! 
Fishtrap’s mission to cultivate clear thinking and good writing starts with our youngest folks. We believe that providing writing, theater, and storytelling opportunities for our youth lays the foundation for a community that values reading, writing, and empathy. Our main goal is to inspire rural youth to discover their inner creative voice and develop their talents with guidance from the best instructors. Contact Jennifer Hobbs, Fishtrap’s Youth and Community Outreach Manager to learn more.
Who We Serve
Fishtrap Youth programs are offered in each school in Wallowa county, providing more than 2,500 hours of instruction per year. We also look for ways to support creative writing and theater experiences for students throughout Northeast Oregon.
Student Population – Fishtrap’s variety of literary arts activities are primarily focused on school-aged youth in Wallowa County, plus dozens of youth from other parts of Eastern Oregon. Wallowa County School Districts are primarily composed of closely-knit single and extension buildings that house K-12 students. Identifying specific curriculum needs for grade levels and teachers is a centerpiece of our planning process. We offer our youth programs at no- or low-cost so that we are able to reach a large number of the community’s youth. This allows all youth, especially those from low-income families, to have equitable access to programs that support creativity and the development of important writing skills. Fishtrap offers in-school programming to Enterprise and Wallowa School Districts, Joseph Charter School, Imnaha Bridge School, and the local Alternative Education program offered by Building Healthy Families.
What We Do
Fishtrap Reads – Each January, Fishtrap donates hundreds of books to Wallowa and Union County classrooms and libraries, giving every student the opportunity to participate in this popular community reading program. Age-appropriate books are chosen for younger grades that align with the theme of each year’s selection. Fishtrap also provides teaching guides, materials, speakers, and assemblies to local schools.
Writers-in-Residence – Experienced teaching artists provide classroom creative writing experiences in classrooms across Wallowa County throughout the school year. High school students may write poems, short stories, plays, or even try crafting a graphic novel or short film, all taught by visiting Writers-In-Residence who are experts in their craft.
Youth Summer Fishtrap – Each summer, young writers ages 9-13 embark on a creative writing and theater adventure at Fishtrap. There, they’ll explore creative writing and storytelling in a weeklong workshop designed to help them to express what’s inside, learn to listen to the stories of others and connect with a community of storytellers. [Click here to register.]
Missoula Children’s Theatre – Fishtrap is proud to bring Missoula Children’s Theatre to Wallowa County, part of a 40+ year tradition providing youth the opportunity to participate in live theater.
Community Partnerships – Fishtrap regularly partners with local schools and organizations to help connect students with the literary arts. We host creative writing showcases, readers theater, writing groups, and in 2026, Poetry Out Loud competitions in our event space. We’ve worked with Building Healthy Families to deliver after school language arts enrichment programs in Wallowa, Enterprise, and Joseph, as well as supporting their annual KidFest celebration.
Each year, Fishtrap partners with Wallowa Resources during Outdoor School, creating and teaching in-depth creative writing and theater curriculum and working in the field at state parks, campgrounds, and wilderness/restoration areas, for approximately 150 4th-6th grade students. We participate in the annual Woodlands and Watersheds Festival as well as other community gatherings, hosting booths and inviting students into a variety of literary activities designed to build skills and enthusiasm for the literary arts.
How We Work
Teaching Artist Selection – All Fishtrap Teaching Artists have direct classroom experience. Fishtrap Writers-in-Residence are required to have classroom teaching experience with high schoolers specifically. Fishtrap conducts background checks on all instructors and our partner schools have final approval of anyone entering their classrooms. Many of the local educators we work with have long term working relationships with our area schools.
Collaboration Between Artists and Educators – Fishtrap depends on our strong relationships with local teachers and administrators to inform us about the critical education goals for local schools and advise in the creation of relevant and inspiring creative writing opportunities for our students. We regularly meet with educators to see how we can improve our work, and send out an annual survey each spring to gather even more feedback.