The students in the University in the High School (UHS) Creative Writing Class have been working on an assignment to write and design their own children's books. It started with a visit from Ashley Zeoli, a local author and RCS graduate who has published two children's books. During her visit in October, Ashley shared her journey as an author and the valuable lessons she learned from publishing her work, hoping to inspire the students to start brainstorming their own stories and showcasing their unique voices and interests.
As the semester progressed, the students worked to develop their stories and illustrations, showcasing their unique voices and interests. Through a connection between high school students and Pieter B. students, as a result of PBC's English Language Arts and Social Studies Curriculum Content Specialist, Ms. Doggette, the class was able to present their self-published works to younger students in the District. The Creative Writing students read their stories to different grades and classes, perfecting their storytelling skills each time. Dr. Hushmendy, the teacher of UHS Creative Writing, shared that Ella Cronin, the author of "Large Bear," expressed her interest in becoming a teacher after reading her story to first graders. She said the engagement she received from presenting in front of students was exciting and felt rewarding!
The class will now be exploring poetry in their next unit. Stay tuned for their next showcase of talent. Here are some pictures from the class trip to Pieter B. Coeymans.
