Create a Comic Project

The Create a Comic Project (CCP) is a youth literacy program and webcomic created by John Baird. The program uses comics, many taken from the Internet, to encourage children to write their own narratives. The program began in November 2006 at the main branch of the New Haven Free Public Library as an after-school program. The project has since worked with several other groups, including the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, Braddock Carnegie Library, and the Pittsburgh YMCA. Baird has presented the results of his work on the project at several conventions and conferences, including South by Southwest Interactive and SXSWedu. The project has been praised for its work in engaging children in learning by Marjorie Scardino, CEO of Pearson, Professor Mirta Ojito of Columbia University, and Arne Duncan, the US Secretary of Education.
The webcomic side of the project posts comics made by the children. The website was launched 4 January 2007. Archives of the Taiwan comics, labeled "Create a Comic Project ROC" or "CCP Version 1.0," go from 9 July 2005 through 28 November 2006. Comics generated in America, labeled "CCP Version 2.0," were first posted 29 November 2006 to present.
Project background.
The Create a Comic Project was first conceived in the Republic of China while Baird was teaching English at Hess Educational Organization. He used it as an ESL activity in class. A version of the project was eventually published as part Hess's official curriculum materials in their "Student Activities Booklet", which is currently used in both the ROC and Singapore. One of Baird's inspirations was the "Penny Arcade Remix Project".
After going to New Haven for graduate school at Yale University, Baird remade the project as a stand-alone activity for the New Haven Public Library. Library staffers called the program "wonderful" and that it had "encouraged children to willingly express their creativity." In Pittsburgh, Baird hosted a number of workshops in the city before entering into a year-long collaboration with the Greater Pittsburgh YMCA's summer camp and after-school programs. While attending Teachers College, Columbia University, Baird brought the project into several area schools in the city, including LaGuardia High School and The School at Columbia University. From 2010 to 2012, the project was based in Houston, Texas, where Baird has given workshops to employees at the University of Texas Charter School and was invited to give workshops at the Conference for the Advancement of Math Teaching in 2011. The project is currently on hiatus.
The program hosted regular comic tournaments at the New Haven Library from 2007 to 2011. They were funded by grant awards from the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. The CCP is the single largest multi-webcomic collaborative project of its kind. It was the only comic-based children's program of its type in New Haven and Pittsburgh.
In 2009, Baird and other webcomic creators held a panel and two project-based workshops at Otakon. The project has also hosted panels and workshops at Tekkoshocon in 2009 and 2010. John was named a Featured Panelist for Otakon 2012 for his series of workshops. A Wheaton University student has created art for the project's official materials.
Contributing comics.
Various comic creators allow Baird to use their work for the "Create a Comic Project". The first webcomic ever used was "Okashina Okashi - Strange Candy", with others following later. They include (in alphabetical order):