Improving the blank page

Work in Progress inspires writers to think creatively Wantage — Students pored over pads of paper, scribbling words fervently with pens and pencils. This was the atmosphere for the second annual creative writing workshop “Work in Progress” held at High Point High. Students from Newton, High Point and Hopatcong high schools and from Sussex County Vocational School gathered in the High Point High library for the all-day workshop. Work in Progress began two years ago with High Point English teacher Heather Strout. “Through this event, we hope to create an open and supportive environment for writing, thinking and sharing.” This year’s program offered nine creative writing workshops, of which students could choose seven. Concrete Poetry, where students bent words into visual pictures with High Point fine arts teacher Lisa Hodgins By the Book, where students created handmade books with High Point fine arts teacher Erin Meyers Poetry of Relationship, where students focused on the relationship between mind and body with teacher and keynote speaker Laraine Reedy Student to Student, which allowed students to interact and discuss their creative works Creative Journalism, where students got a “clue” about writing creative news articles with Advertiser-News reporter Keri Rand Experimental Poetry, where students worked in unconventional styles with High Point alumni Chris Stillmank Losing the self, a workshop devoted to the study of prose led by writer Ben Kozlowski Found Poetry, where students searched through magazines and newspapers to find words to create poems with High Point alumna Kristen Brady Hip-Hop n’ Poetry, where students were taught how to integrate hip hop into their own poetry with college student Todd Taylor In welcoming the group, keynote speaker Reedy read poems by poets Billy Collins and Gary Snyder and encouraged the young writers. “How exciting it is to have young poets like yourselves here today.”