This August, the annual Writers Academy Summer Retreat returned to Townsend Harris High School for the fourth year and allowed participants to hone their writing skills. Students were able to choose between three different programs: Creative Writing, Journalism, and Drama.
The Writers Academy Summer Retreat was designed to help students improve their writing in different ways. The two-week journalism program was meant to help students learn how to conduct interviews, structure an article, and also get familiar with types of articles. The program taught students writing skills, which they used to write their own articles by the end of the program. Students were grouped into different departments based on their preference.
Students shared their experiences at the program. “ I loved this experience because I actually got to meet new people and sharpen up my skills before the school year started,” said freshman Gabriella Dookeran.
The current freshman class are also looking forward to writing their first article for The Classic. “I’m excited to write my first article because it feels like I’m leaving a mark on THHS,” said freshman Victoria Zhang.
Another highlight of the program was students meeting new people at THHS. “I [enjoyed] learning from the teachers and making new friends,” said freshman Logan Grove.
Similarly, freshmen Marcella Ramos who attended both the Creative Writing and Journalism programs said, “I found it fun and I made friends while enjoying the interactiveness.”
English teacher, and advisor for the journalism program in the Summer Retreat Brian. Sweeney said that students often make friends during the program and end up being committed members of the writing extracurriculars at THHS. “The two students who started The Critic and were the first editors-in-chief met at this summer program. We may not have had The Classic Critic if it weren’t for that summer,” he said.
The retreat began in the summer of 2019 (before there was an official Writers Academy) and has branched out since then.
“We were just looking for a way for eighth graders to get used to Townsend Harris before the school year started,” said Mr. Sweeney, one of the founders of the program. “In the beginning it was only The Phoenix and The Classic. However, in 2021 the Department of Education funded Summer Rising, which enabled THHS to expand beyond just The Classic and The Phoenix. Over the years Mr. Condon and Ms. Fee have supported the Writer’s Academy with funds because we always have many sign-ups.”
The Writers Academy Summer Retreat appealed to many incoming freshmen as it served as an opportunity to begin new friendships, adapt to the new school year, and learn new writing skills.
