Recently, Pine Crest faculty have implemented courses that begin during sophomore year and stretch until graduation. Whether they’re studying social entrepreneurship or doing research on a scientific topic, students enrolled in these programs have the opportunity to explore areas of interest more deeply than they would in a typical one-year class. This year, PC is launching a new multi-year course: the Talented Writers program.

The Talented Writers program allows students to harness and develop their love of writing. It focuses primarily on creative writing with a strong emphasis on fiction and poetry. Students who are interested in the program apply at the end of their freshman year and are selected based on the application, which includes a personal statement and written pieces.

This new offering was in the works for quite some time before it was introduced. Once the creative writing class was taken off the list of course offerings several years prior, the current coordinators of the talented writers program, English teachers Mr. Gillego and Dr. Stewart, began to discuss a more advanced program. They decided that it should be much more extensive than its predecessor. 

“Developing the students’ voice on the page is a process—and it doesn’t happen overnight,” says Mr. Gillego. “TWP is a comprehensive program that provides students a dedicated place and time to be surrounded by like-minded people who have similar passions and goals as writers. Over the course of three years, they will become confident writers and be able to develop a critical eye for what distinguishes good writing from great writing through the workshop process.”

The new program also aims to help creative-minded students develop a sense of pride in their passion for writing. Dr. Stewart especially emphasizes the need to encourage young writers. 

“Literature is at the core of every civilization,” Dr. Stewart states. “Every other culture values its writers, but the US is behind on that. It’s really important to get students interested in, knowledgeable about, and supported in the endeavors in writing poetry and fiction.”

The Paw Print commends Mr. Gillego and Dr. Stewart for their dedication to this program. We are excited to see where it goes!