FBy Nicholas Plante ’18

From relaxing on the beach to playing sports with friends, summer offers students countless ways to enjoy themselves.  Without the stress experienced during the school year, students can find time to hone their crafts and be productive in a comfortable atmosphere. Those with a passion for writing may be interested in further developing their abilities this upcoming summer by participating in one of Chaminade’s two writing workshops.  Both the College Essay Workshop and the Creative Writing Workshop enable aspiring writers to learn more about writing, but they focus on different aspects of the craft.

The College Essay Workshop, run by Mr. Matthew Kaplan ’97 and Mr. Graham Otton ’05, provides students entering their senior year with a sense of security as they get ready for a rather demanding period filled with coursework and college applications.  As Mr. Otton put it, “One of the few places where seniors can give some personal voice is the college essay.  It seems that many are getting this done hastily, without the thought of expressing their individuality.”  Therefore, the instructors of this program have made it a priority to assist each individual as they search for the most captivating story for their college essays.  

It helped me organize my thoughts in a way that pushed my writing potential way above where I thought it could go – Brian St. Pierre ’18

One of the workshop’s primary emphases is to show students how to craft a positive image of themselves in an easy-going environment.  Additionally, a number of college admissions officers walk the participants through the college application process, highlighting what many schools look for in applicants.  Due to a relatively high demand, the workshop will be held in the Chaminade library in two separate sessions, with the first lasting from July 5 through July 8 at 8 A.M. to 1 P.M., and the second from July 18 to July 21 at 4 to 9 P.M.  

The Creative Writing Workshop, run by Mr. Ryan Dunbar ’04 and Mr. Kaplan, empowers students entering grades 7 through 11 to explore their writing capabilities in a number of different fields, including expository writing, fiction, and poetry.  With the help of the instructors and their peers, students develop original works from scratch while learning along the way.  They are given the chance to foster a talent they can use to entertain and serve others in the future.  Above all, the workshop builds confidence in those who feel insecure about their work and therefore struggle with self-editing.

Brian St. Pierre ’18 noted on his experience with the camp, “It helped me organize my thoughts in a way that pushed my writing potential way above where I thought it could go.”

John FitzSimons ’18, who has participated in the program the past two years, praised it and its instructors by saying, “I admire the expertise and great sense of humor of the camp’s moderators.”  The workshop will be held in the school library from July 11 to July 15 at 8 A.M. to 12 P.M.

These two excellent summer programs are a great destination for students interested in writing.  Whether they are looking to write an excellent college essay, or seeking a better way to channel their creativity into writing, they can feel confident that their writing skills will improve exponentially by the end of their course.

For more information or to register for one of these programs, visit www.chaminade-hs.org and access the Summer Camps page under General Information.  

Any questions may be directed to Mr. Otton at gotton@chaminade-hs.org.