It’s not about what you write, it’s the way you write it. Atlantic High School students are offered a Creative Writing class every year, where they can take writing and add a special twist. Teacher Allison Berryhill helped her students learn ways to make their stories creative and add personal touches. This class allowed students to write stories with freedom, and they even had the opportunity to write a book, titled “Creative Writing Encyclopedia Fall 2018.”  

Students in AHS were thrilled about this class. Senior Sarah Schorle said, “It really helped me explore different aspects of my life and different feelings I was experiencing.” After writing the book, Schorle felt that publishing her story put her in a vulnerable state and helped her grow as a writer.

Another student that participated in the class was junior Gillian Askeland. During the class, she wrote her favorite piece of work: a sonnet called “Mother.” This story helped Askeland open up about her struggles and how her mother has helped her through various situations in her life. “I’ve been writing for a while, even before the class, and it just taught me more things that I could write about and types of writing. I would say I do write more than I did before,” Askeland said.

Many students agreed that they feel more comfortable and outgoing when it comes to writing stories, thanks to Berryhill and the creative writing class.