• April 20, 2017
     
    High school writers inspired by Writing Day

    Montage Writing Day participants Twenty-five Upper St. Clair High School students recently participated in a morning-long Writing Day sponsored by Montage, the school’s literary arts magazine.

    The event was led by two visiting writers, Adriana E. Ramirex and Jesse Welch. Ramirex is an award-winning nonfiction writer, storyteller, critic and performance poet based in Pittsburgh. Jesse Welch is a founding member and team leader of Steel City Slam.

    The Montage staff – including Editor in Chief Mahima Reddy; Senior Editors Gracie Eden, Devon Garcia, and Alexa Rieger; and staff members Elizabeth Eden and Alexis Wright – participated in Writing Day. However, the majority of participants were simply students who share a passion for creative writing.

    “Montage offers writing opportunities for the student body to encourage creative writing and submissions to our literary arts magazine,” Daniela Buccilli, English teacher, said. “Young writers had the day to be inspired by professional writers and to work on their own creative writing.”

    Ms. Buccilli received positive feedback from the participating student writers, approximately half of whom submitted their works from Writing Day to the upcoming 2017 Montage.

    Events, such as the recent Writing Day, provide a fun, non-academic opportunity to honor student interest in creative writing.

    “Students write academic papers during all four of their high school years; they write research papers and lab reports in many of their classes; but students are not often challenged to write creatively in most classes,” Ms. Buccilli said. “At the same time, students are often found writing poetry, comic books, songs and stories. The creative arts have some outlets in our high school – art class, ninth grade English poetry unit, and a Creative Writing class – but young writers are always looking for more.”