The Creative Writing and Literary Magazine Enrichment is one of the eleven enrichments that is offered to students at Westminster through its new program called WestminsterYOU. It first started last year with the Meraki Magazine that was created by senior Emma Harris, and it evolved into an enrichment this year. 

At the moment, only the upper school students can take this enrichment, meeting on Wednesdays and Thursdays. It provides a place for students to expand their creative thinking and writing skills, to let their imaginations loose, and to give them the time to do so. The enrichment is not a graded class either, so students do not have to worry about whether they will pass or not.

“I think it just made sense to have this enrichment program to allow students to really have the time to explore creative writing; and also just be able to help support them and provide feedback, or give them helpful tips along the way. We really didn’t have that in the English classrooms, and this kinda gives us more of that opportunity,” said Mrs. Holliday, freshman English teacher and leader of the Creative Writing and Literary Magazine Enrichment.

With this enrichment, students have the time to use their minds to create detailed and intriguing stories. They can create poems, short stories, stories that are closer to novels, articles for the Meraki Magazine, and so much more. Since creative writing is often a lengthy process, the enrichment can give the students all the time they need to write their creative writing pieces thoroughly. The teachers can also give as much feedback to them as needed.

“For me, using our creative abilities is a fundamental part of being image bearers of God. My hope is that students will experience the joys of creative expression, and in doing so, help to understand how God has gifted each and every one of them to create,” explained Mr. Roff, junior English teacher and leader of the Creative Writing and Literary Magazine Enrichment.

Students can delve deeper into their relationships with God by writing about certain topics that point to Him or even poetry about His creation. The Creative Writing and Literary Magazine Enrichment gives them the opportunity to do this.

A student might join the enrichment as a place to just improve on their creative writing skills, but they could then realize that it is providing much more than that. It is providing a safe haven to strengthen their relationships with their classmates, teachers, and God, as well as strengthening their creative writing.

The Creative Writing and Literary Magazine truly is a paradise that lets its students’ imaginations run wild!