Last week, the 8th graders attended the North Shore Young Writers Conference which was held outside of Boston in the little town of Beverly. Sleep deprived and young, these 8th graders joined the high school aged conference with trepidation. Anxieties gave way to focus and learning as, before long, each one made new friends and gained confidence.
Bitter cold rain and snow fell outside as students wrote stories and poems in the old Coolidge farmhouse – now administration and classrooms of the Waring School. Published authors of short stories, novels, and poetry mentored students with tips and supportive discussion. At the end of the conference, students read their work aloud to an enthusiastic audience.
Students stayed with a few generous families from the Waring School – each having their own unique experience. To cap the trip, students traveled to the big city to explore the ease of public transportation and many of the shops and sights unknown to Alaska.
Upon return these students now find that they have more questions, greater curiosity in ways they hadn’t thought of before, and have formed stronger bonds among themselves. Engagement reigns.
Read below for some of the students’ thoughts about the conference.
I really liked the workshop. It taught me loads on poems, which I didn’t have that much…exposure to. Because of this, it was like swimming in the deep end for the first time. …the poem class I was in was very eye opening because of all the tiny facets that everyone was writing from. – William
I really liked getting to know the authors through what they wrote. I also learned that there are many different types of writing, and each style of writing can mean a different thing. There are pieces you should read aloud to a crowd, others to yourself, and in your head. – Paris