Helping to keep Washington DC's youth on the path to high school graduation Myers reflects on his visit to New Directions High School in Arlington, VA, commenting on the students' curiosity and good preparation.
Walter Dean Myers' Second Chance Initiative
In his book "Dope Sick," Walter Dean Myers, award-winning writer and the 2012 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, breaks new ground and stretches the boundaries of realism to bring forth a tale of second chances, redemption, and the promise of hope. Inspired by these ideas of hope and redemption, Walter Dean Myers and AdLit.org joined forces to create The Second Chance Initiative to motivate teens to overcome life's challenge, move beyond mistakes of the past, take advantage of the second chances they are given, and make better choices in the future.
Scroll down for loads of material to lead a unit on making good choices: a Dope Sick reading guide and free online access to the first three chapters of the book; extension activities to help get kids thinking and writing about their own lives; audio podcasts and video interviews with Walter Dean Myers, who discusses his own tumultuous childhood, his approach to writing, and his reflections on a recent school visit; and resources on the social/emotional development of teens and guidance for talking to kids about a range of topics including dropping out of school, drugs, and teen pregnancy.
- About Dope Sick
- Podcasts with Walter Dean Myers
- Video Interview with Walter Dean Myers
- Talking with Students
- Second Chance Resources for Students, Educators, and Parents
- About Walter Dean Myers
About Dope Sick
Plot summary
Lil J has lived through the layers of pain that are so difficult for inner city youngsters to transcend and has been exposed to an astonishing array of drugs. His path from "brokesick" to "dopesick" leads to a drug deal gone bad and a shot undercover cop. Lil J suddenly finds himself in an abandoned crack house with a bullet wound to the arm. He would do anything to change the last 24 hours. That possibility becomes real when he stumbles into Kelly, who is set up in front of a TV set with remote control, about to provide Lil J the opportunity to assess and confront his own existence and ultimately, a chance to change the direction of his life.
Book excerpt
"My arm was hurting bad. Real bad. The bone could have been broken. I couldn't tell. I just knew it was hurting and swollen. I felt like just taking the gun out and throwing it away and giving up so I could get the mess over with. I opened my mouth so I wouldn't make so much noise when I breathed. Down the street I saw the patrol car was still at the corner. He had his lights flashing. I didn't know if he'd seen which way I was running or not. I knew I was too tired to keep running much more."
Get the first three chapters of Dope Sick for free! Download PDF >
Reading Guide and Extension Activities
- Download a free Dope Sick reading guide from Harper Collins!
- Myers uses pictures and photographs, particularly old photographs of African-American life, for character ideas and inspiration for his books. Students can use the same technique with this lesson plan from ReadWriteThink: Rummaging for Fiction: Using Found Photographs and Notes to Spark Story Ideas.
- Get readers thinking about their own past and present by writing letters to themselves. Students can write actual letters, or create an e-mail that will be delivered to them in the future at FutureMe.org.
- Art and music have the power to change they way we think about life. PBS Independent Lens examines the influential power of hip-hop on our culture in HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes. You can use this documentary to invoke discussion on the points-of-view represented in hip-hop lyrics and why, as well as the cause and effect of sexism, homophobia, and violence within the hip-hop culture.
Podcasts with Walter Dean Myers
In this AdLit.org podcast series, Walter Dean Myers discusses his childhood, his approach to writing, and the representations of minorities in young adult literature.
Download these podcasts from iTunes U and listen whenever you want!
Walter Dean Myers on a Recent School Visit
Walter Dean Myers on Writing and Race
As a teen, Myers found few books with characters who shared his own experiences as a young African-American man in Harlem. He discusses the implicit message this absence sent, as well as his own efforts to feature minority characters.
Walter Dean Myers on Magic Realism
In his new novel Dope Sick, Myers employs magic realism to show Lil J the consequences of his poor choices and to allow Lil J another chance to make better decisions.
Walter Dean Myers on the Writing Process
Myers describes his process for gathering research, distilling information, and working with his editor to create powerful stories that engage young adult readers.
Walter Dean Myers on Where the Ideas Come From
Myers discusses the personal experiences he mines for his stories: life as a foster child, growing up in Harlem, a love of basketball, high school truancy, and his service in Vietnam.
Walter Dean Myers on Pre-Writing
Walter Dean Myers shares his approach to pre-writing, including developing an interesting, solvable, problem and identifying characters with depth.
Video Interview with Walter Dean Myers
In this exclusive interview with AdLit.org, Walter Dean Myers discusses his writing, the drop-out crisis, ways to engage teens and struggling readers, and reads from his new book Dope Sick.
Talking with Students
Walter Dean Myers really enjoys meeting the kids who read his books — he frequently visits schools and juvenile detention facilities to talk with young readers. In February 2009, Mr. Myers met with students at New Directions High School in Arlington, VA, to discuss Dope Sick and to answer the students' questions. Watch the video of the conversation below.
Second Chance Resources
For Students
- Freevibe.com
Helps teens and pre-teens understand the dangers of substance abuse and make responsible decisions. - The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign
Provides perspective on influences teens face daily. - StayTeen.org
Get the facts about teen pregnancy.
For Educators and Parents
- Strategies to Engage Middle-Level Learners
(The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Inprovement) - Materials on health effects and consequences of drug abuse and addiction
(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - Promoting thoughtful, respectful student behavior
(National Education Association) - Dropout prevention: Make high school graduation a priority
(National Education Association) - Guide for parents on how to talk to their teen about drug and alcohol issues
(National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign) - Drug abuse information in Spanish
(National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign) - An Inside Look at Black Urban Youth Sexuality and the Role of the Media
(National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy) - Additional reports, guides and research
(National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy)
Dropout Information
- What Do We Know About Who Drops Out and Why?
- What are Key Components of Dropout Prevention Programs?
Social & Emotional Support for Teens
School/Family Partnerships
About Walter Dean Myers
Walter Myers was born in Martinsburg, West Virginia in 1937. When he was only two years old, his mother died. At age three, Walter moved to Harlem with his new foster family, the Deans. Growing up, he spent a lot of his time on the basketball court and in the public library. Walter's foster mother, a half-Indian and half-German woman, taught him how to read.
Myers grew up with a speech impediment that made it difficult for him to communicate with others. Frustrated and tired of being taunted, Myers often found himself in fights. At the age of nine, he began to express himself through writing poems and short stories. Myers later dropped out of high school and joined the army on his 17th birthday.
As a young adult, Myers worked odd jobs, but he never stopped writing. Whether he was loading trucks or working at the post office, he usually found time to write at night. Myers published articles in journals and magazines, but the biggest break of his career occurred in 1969, when he won a contest organized by the Council on Interracial Books for Children. His entry, Where Does a Day Go?, became his first published children's book. Myers has since become one of the country's most popular African American writers for children and teens. He has won five Coretta Scott King Awards and two Newbery honors. Drawing from his own experiences growing up in Harlem, Myers often writes about the challenging realities that face today's urban youth. Walter Dean Myers frequently collaborates with his son, illustrator Christopher Myers.
Myers, the father of four, lives with his wife in Jersey City, New Jersey. As an adult, he adopted Dean as his middle name - in honor of his loving foster parents. Walter Dean Myers was named the 2012 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature by the Library of Congress.
Watch another video interview with Walter Dean Myers on our sister site, Reading Rockets.
Other Books by Walter Dean Myers
Autobiography of My Dead Brother
Jesse tries to make sense of the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and loss in a neighborhood plagued by drive-by shootings, vicious gangs, and abusive cops. See teacher resources >
Bad Boy
As a boy, Walter Dean Myers was quick-tempered and always ready for a fight. In this memoir, he describes how he began to doubt himself and the values that he had always relied on, attending high school less and less, turning to the streets and his books for comfort. See teacher resources >
Game
Drew Larson knows basketball is taking him places. But when Coach's new offense has made another player the star, Drew must come up with something big to save his fading college prospects. See teacher resources >
Monster
Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon is on trial for murder. A Harlem drugstore owner was shot and killed, and word is that Steve served as the lookout. See teacher resources >
Shooter
A dark and dangerous friendship leads to a school shooting with a tragic aftermath. See teacher resources >
Street Love
If you fell in love with someone from the wrong side of the tracks, would you follow your heart or would you run away? This evocative tale of star-crossed urban love is set to a Shakespearean Harlem beat. See teacher resources >
Join the DC Hub community
Local Stories from WAMU 88.5
WAMU education reporter Kavitha Cardoza explores the dropout crisis in Washington, D.C. in a 10-part radio series.
