Mighty Writers is trying to break a Guinness World Record

How many Philly kids does it take to break a mighty record? Three thousand.

Here’s yet another way for the city to be celebrated during its hosting of the Democratic National Convention this July: Youth writing skills-focused nonprofit Mighty Writers is attempting to break a Guinness World Record by getting 3,000 Philly kids age 7 to 17 to write essays at the same time and place — Tuesday, July 26, at 10 a.m. on the Art Museum steps.

The prompt? “If I were president …”

Every Mighty Writers students will participate, said Executive Director Tim Whitaker, but the event will be open to kids across the city. The nonprofit is getting the word out by reaching out to partner orgs such as summer camps and baseball teams as well as pushing for exposure via the city and the DNC itself.

“We’re doing it during the DNC so we can shine a bright light on the literacy crisis — not just in Philly, but nationwide,” Whitaker said. “We’re hoping the national media will find value in seeing so many Philly kids writing.”

The existing world record for “most people to write a story” is 1,178, set by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in Beijing in 2013.

Excerpts of the resulting essays will be published online, and some full essays will be published in print. Whitaker confirmed that an official Guinness rep will be on hand to certify the event.