By Jocelyn Tolpin ’17, News Staff Writer

Perhaps one of the most exciting classes at Newark Academy is Creative Writing, where aspiring authors attempt to find their literary voices.

In January, the students finished writing a collective short story in conjunction with the theme of the Winter Art Exhibit: Dream On. The class partnered with the Digital Photography class and created a visual aspect to go along with their story. This was one of many interesting projects that the class has worked on.

Variation is an important part of the Creative Writing curriculum because the goal is to help students try out all different kinds of writing and find what they are most interested in. The subsequent assignments help students try out different genres of writing. Currently, the students are working on dramatic scripts and the next two assignments will be a short story and a fixed verse poem. Ms. James, the Creative Writing teacher, says, “Like athletes who cross train at the gym, we exercise a full range of writing muscles by switching between fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry.”

Through the course, students are able to put their work to the test and compete in various competitions. Recently, the results of the Scholastic Arts and Writing competition posted and 26 different Newark Academy students were awarded prizes out of a total of 57 prizes that were given out.

The Creative Writing Blog is an important part of the class. It has a list of contests that students could enter, while also showcasing the students’ published works. This year, there is a new “Critique Corner” where anyone from the  community can post their works and receive criticism from various sources. Ms. James says, “The idea is to post wonderfully imperfect pieces in the hope of shaping them through useful feedback.”

The Creative Writing class is a great way to meet new people, as well. The class combines sophomores, juniors and seniors, and from this mix unlikely friends are made. Remenna Xu ’14 says, “It’s a good way to connect with people you wouldn’t normally cross paths with.” From sharing their writing with each other, these students form an intimate bond that holds them together. Kristie Petillo ’14 states, “We are like a little writing family.”

There are many reasons that students take Creative Writing, but a common one is to have a comfortable setting to really open up. The creative writing room has become a ‘”safe haven” for a lot of students. The class gives them the opportunity and environment to reveal themselves through their writing. During class, students receive feedback on pieces that they want to improve. At times, these pieces can be very intimate to the writer, so this time of feedback has come to be known as “The Circle of Trust”. Amani Garvin ’15 confirms, “It’s all built on trust.”

The Creative Writing class’ purpose is to shape writers, try to help them improve, and encourage confidence in their own writing. Ms. James says, “You don’t have to be an accomplished writer to apply for the class. We want students who have interest, motivation and good will.”

Newark Academy offers a huge variety of courses to help students uncover their passions and the Creative Writing class is no excpetion. In the constructive environment, students are able to try out many different genres, ultimately discovering their unique style. It is an opportunity for students to compete in the outside world, while also sharing their work in an intimate gathering. Creative Writing is much more than a class, it is a way to build confidence  when it comes to writing and gaining friendships.