May OWL Newsletter

Austin Bat Cave is a creative community. Our writing programs empower students to find their voices and tell their stories. Our organization strives to serve the greater Austin, Del Valle, Manor, Pflugerville, San Marcos and Round Rock communities by providing creative writing activities and ideas that you and your kiddos can use at home to keep their creativity going!

If you would like updates on Austin Bat Cave programs, please visit our website and sign up for our newsletter.

Austin Bat Cave es una comunidad creativa. Nuestros programas de escritura capacitan a los estudiantes para encontrar sus voces y contar sus historias. Nuestra organización se esfuerza por servir a las comunidades de Austin, Del Valle, Manor, Pflugerville, San Marcos y Round Rock brindando actividades e ideas de escritura creativa que usted y sus hijos pueden usar en casa para mantener su creatividad.

Si usted quiere más información sobre las programas que ofrece Austin Bat Cave, favor de visitar nuestra página web y suscríbete a nuestras noticias.

This flyer has a blue background and various magical graphics around the page, including fairies, a castle, mermaids, and dragon eggs. At the top, it says, "Austin Bat Cave summer camps are for everyone! We have a sliding scale for registrations and welcome all students." In the middle, the four summer camps are listed with the dates and times: Myths and Legends Workshop (3rd-5th grade), 9 am-12 pm from June 2nd-6th, Choose Your Fantasy (6th-8th grade), 1 pm-4 pm from June 9th-13th, Stop Motion Magic Workshop (6th-12th grade), 1 pm-4 pm from June 16th-20th, and Dungeons and Dragons (3rd-12th grade), 1 pm-4 pm from June 23rd-27th. Below this, it says, "Register with QR code! Our website is more user-friendly on desktop." Next to this, there is a QR code.

Austin Bat Cave’s summer camps are here!

We are so excited to announce our 2025 summer camps. ABC is offering a variety of camps for all ages in June related to our next Anthology theme: Magic! From Choose Your Own Adventure to a Stop Motion Magic camp, there’s a little storytelling magic for everyone. We hope you’ll be able to join and let our students enchant you with their creativity! These camps will take place at the African American Youth Harvest Foundation offices on East 290 and are offered on a sliding scale to make them accessible for all families. Register your young writer here!

If you are interested in being an instructor for a summer camp, please fill out the form here.

This flyer has a blue background and various magical graphics around the page, including fairies, a castle, mermaids, and dragon eggs. At the top, it says, "¡Las clases de verano de Austin Bat Cave son para todos! Ofrecemos programas con precios variados por necesidad y damos la bienvenida a todos los estudiantes." In the middle, the four summer camps are listed with the dates and times: Myths and Legends Workshop (3rd-5th grade), 9 am-12 pm from June 2nd-6th, Choose Your Fantasy (6th-8th grade), 1 pm-4 pm from June 9th-13th, Stop Motion Magic Workshop (6th-12th grade), 1 pm-4 pm from June 16th-20th, and Dungeons and Dragons (3rd-12th grade), 1 pm-4 pm from June 23rd-27th. Below this, it says, "¡Regístrese con el código QR! Nuestro sitio web es más fácil de usar en una computadora de escritorio." Next to this, there is a QR code.

¡Ya llegaron los campamentos de verano de Austin Bat Cave!

Nos emociona anunciar nuestros campamentos de verano de 2025. ABC ofrece una variedad de campamentos para todas las edades en junio, relacionados con el tema de nuestra próxima antología: ¡Magia! Desde el campamento de Mitos y Leyendas hasta el campamento "Elige tu propia aventura", hay un poco de magia narrativa para todos. ¡Esperamos que puedas unirte y dejar que nuestros estudiantes te cautivan con su creatividad! Estos campamentos se llevarán a cabo en las oficinas de la Fundación African American Youth Harvest en East 290 y se ofrecen con una escala móvil para que sean accesibles para todas las familias. ¡Inscribe a tu joven escritor aquí!

Community resources

• Austin Bat Cave has been working with Del Valle Early College High School students to help them create their own newspaper! We are so thrilled and proud of all they've accomplished. The newspaper is not accessible online, but keep an eye on their Instagram, earlycollegechronicals, for updates about a digital archive or other exciting news!

Recursos comunitarios

• Austin Bat Cave ha estado trabajando con estudiantes de la preparatoria Del Valle Early College para ayudarlos a crear su propio periódico. Estamos muy orgullosos de todo lo que han logrado. El periódico no está disponible en línea, pero estén atentos a su Instagram, earlycollegechronicals, para enterarse de las novedades sobre el archivo digital y otras noticias interesantes.

Writing activity ideas

• Pick up the nearest book and turn to page five. Close your eyes and point to a random word on the page, then write a story about that word.

• Imagine that you’re a superhero! What is your origin story? What superpowers will you have? How will you change the world?

• What would make a better pet — an elephant or a raccoon?

• If you could invent a TV show, what would it be about?

Ideas para actividades de escritura

• Toma el libro más cercano y ve a la página cinco. Cierra los ojos, señala una palabra y escribe una historia sobre ella.

• ¡Imagina que eres un superhéroe! ¿Cuál es tu origen? ¿Qué superpoderes tendrás? ¿Cómo cambiarás el mundo?

• ¿Qué sería una mejor mascota: un elefante o un mapache?

• Si pudieras inventar un programa de televisión, ¿de qué trataría?

Quote of the month

On a white background with brown shapes in the corners, it says, “You gotta be smart. You gotta know how to use your talents. And you gotta speak up.” —Larry Itliong.” There are green plants on the corners and brown squiggles throughout the graphic.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! This month’s focus aims to celebrate, honor, and recognize the contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islander Americans to the United States. Larry Itliong was a Filipino American labor organizer and civil rights activist who played an important role in organizing Filipino farm workers and advocating for their rights. He once said, “You gotta be smart. You gotta know how to use your talents. And you gotta speak up.”

Cita del mes

¡Mayo es el Mes de la Herencia Asiático-Americana e Isleña del Pacífico! Este mes se centra en celebrar, honrar y reconocer las contribuciones de los asiático-americanos, los nativos hawaianos y otros isleños del Pacífico a Estados Unidos. Larry Itliong fue un organizador laboral y activista por los derechos civiles filipino-estadounidense que desempeñó un papel importante en la organización de los trabajadores agrícolas filipinos y la defensa de sus derechos. Una vez dijo: “Tienes que ser inteligente. Tienes que saber usar tus talentos. Y tienes que alzar la voz.”

Art for OWL

This picture of the inside of a cave has cave paintings of animals on the ceiling. The animals seem to be cows or buffalo running, painted brown with horns. The walls are brown, while the ceiling is much lighter, almost white.

In southwestern France, these cave paintings are considered the most famous example of prehistoric art. Called the Lascaux Caves, there are close to 600 paintings and 1400 engravings inside, giving us a glimpse into the life of humans from 17,000 to 15,000 BCE. Because of the age of the caves, the painters and artists are unknown. To see a virtual tour of these caves, click here.

Arte para el OWL

En el suroeste de Francia, estas pinturas rupestres se consideran el ejemplo más famoso de arte prehistórico. Conocidas como las Cuevas de Lascaux, albergan cerca de 600 pinturas y 1400 grabados, que nos permiten vislumbrar la vida humana entre el 17 000 y el 15 000 a. C. Debido a la antigüedad de las cuevas, se desconoce la autoría de sus pintores y artistas. Para ver un recorrido virtual por estas cuevas, haga clic aquí.

What we’re reading this month

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

This picture book has an all-white background, with a child and a bunny hugging on the bottom right. Above them, it says, “The Rabbit Listened” and then “New York Times Bestseller.” Next to the child and bunny, it says, “Cori Doerrfeld.”

When something terrible happens, Taylor doesn't know where to turn. All the animals are sure they have the answer. The chicken wants to talk it out, but Taylor doesn't feel like chatting. The bear thinks Taylor should get angry, but that's not quite right either. One by one, the animals try to tell Taylor how to process this loss, and one by one, they fail. Then the rabbit arrives. All the rabbit does is listen, which is just what Taylor needs. This book is excellent for young children aged four to seven who are learning how to offer comfort in a way that is helpful to others.

Lo que leemos este mes

El Conejo Escuchado de Cori Doerrfeld

Cuando algo terrible sucede, Taylor no sabe adónde recurrir. Todos los animales están seguros de tener la respuesta. La gallina quiere hablar, pero Taylor no tiene ganas. El oso piensa que Taylor debería enojarse, pero eso tampoco es del todo correcto. Uno a uno, los animales intentan explicarle a Taylor cómo procesar esta pérdida, y uno a uno, fracasan. Entonces llega el conejo. El conejo se limita a escuchar, que es lo que Taylor necesita. Este libro es excelente para niños pequeños de cuatro a siete años que están aprendiendo a ofrecer consuelo de una manera útil a los demás.

Support Austin Bat Cave/Apoya a Austin Bat Cave

If you enjoy and benefit from the resources provided in this newsletter, please consider supporting Austin Bat Cave! Your donation helps us to serve students in the greater Austin area.

Si disfruta y se beneficia de los recursos proporcionados en este boletín, ¡considere apoyar a Austin Bat Cave! Su donación nos ayuda a servir a los estudiantes en el área metropolitana de Austin.