Write Here! Write Now!

Haldane High School literary magazine staff

By Christiana Glorius

Saint Patrick’s Day 2011 was a big day for the writers of Haldane High School’s Literary Magazine. The day began at the school where 14 excited students boarded a bus set for the Westchester Community College in Valhalla, N.Y., where the Young Author’s Conference “Write Here! Write Now!” was to take place. On arrival the students, along with Dr. Richter, the magazine’s staff mentor, checked in and obtained their workshop assignments as well as a welcome breakfast. At 9:10 a.m. all of the schools were ushered into the auditorium for a lovely welcome given by Kim Fontana and Cathy Greenwood of Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES, as well as Heather Ostman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor & Assistant Chair of the English Department of Westchester Community College.
       Afterward the students were sent to their assigned workshops. The workshops themselves were given by a variety of published writers, teachers, and historians, who were excited to have enthusiastic young minds to inspire. Topics ranged from journalism to poetry, short stories to novel writing, and many had very interesting names such as a program given by Vin Dacquino called “CO-Ed Naked Writing”, or Alan Beechey’s “Murder: This Time It’s Personal”. Students experienced two workshops, each at 90 minute intervals, where they worked pieces, brainstormed ideas and shared work with fellow writers. At 12:50 p.m. the last of the programs came to an end, and everyone enjoyed a catered lunch served in the college cafeteria. It was an inspiring day and everyone came away with new ideas for the written word. After a hard day’s work, members of Haldane’s Literary Magazine staff returned home, and will hopefully never forget what they learned about storytelling, writing, and most of all themselves.

Christiana Glorius is a senior at Haldane.