Creative Line
Skies were sunny Tuesday, but one group of children was content indoors, putting pencil to paper under florescent lights in the basement of the Butler Library.
As part of the writing process, Ben Wong hopped into a large bubble and rode to a planet with sponges and soap.
Kirsten Voelker met a baby whose tears controlled weather.
Allison Jones encountered cheese.
"Last night I dreamed a piece of cheese could sing —but not very well," relayed Allison, a fourth grader at Meridian Elementary School.
The youths were among about 25 enrolled in The Children's Creative Writing Workshop. The day's exercise included writing something that began "Last night I dreamed ..."
"It can be something completely crazy — anything you want it to be," said Randy Fox, who runs the program. "(Or) it can be something you really dreamed."
Fox, the library's director of development, began the workshop last winter as a monthly event. A strong response led him to continue the program as a twice-monthly workshop this summer.
"The ones we've been doing have been (for ages) 7 through 12," Fox said. "I'm hoping we can expand that in the future to include some older age groups."
Fox said the free program is designed to get kids writing, not to focus on spelling and grammar. The sessions consist of a writing assignment, but the group spends much of its time with preliminary brainstorming out loud.
The process includes Fox introducing a topic and asking youths to dialogue on different ways it might be approached.
"In this workshop, I think that every single kid in there has raised their hand and offered their feelings," he said.
Youths return to the following session with their completed assignments, some of which are shared out loud.
Fox collects the work, typing it verbatim for inclusion in a printed anthology. The youths read from the anthology at a subsequent recital for family and friends.
The first such publication was completed with a grant through Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts. Although another grant application is pending, Fox said he fears funding eventually will decrease.
"It does make presenting these kind of programs more of a challenge when government support is dwindling," he said.
Despite the financial uncertainty, Fox said interest from kids remains strong."For the first session we ever did, we had 50 kids sign up pretty quickly, so I had to actually cap the registration," he said. The summer response was similar. Repeat attendees and word-of-mouth sign-ups negated the need for publicity.The summer session was capped at fewer attendees because the library lost its youth librarian, who helped with the previous program. A new librarian is set to begin soon.Fox said an intern and parent volunteer have also assisted with the program, which offers a creative outlet to kids."Finding a love or an inclination toward something like writing, or creative writing, can make a big difference in a kid's life," he said.According to many workshop students, the difference already has taken hold."It's just fun to write," said 9-year-old Lillian Ford, who said the program has prompted her to write sometimes just for fun.As one of the workshop's youngest writers, Lillian's 7-year-old brother Bennington said he is learning to develop his own ideas, sometimes starting with a familiar story but modifying the plot as he goes."My mom told me no plagiarism because it's against the law," he noted.Lillian said the workshop also is social, since she has become friends with Fox's daughter, 10-year-old Madeline, who listed haiku poetry among her favorite assignments.Lena Maharg, 8, also enjoys the haikus. But like many of her peers, Lena would rather write the poems than read them aloud at the workshop. Even so, she volunteered."I thought I might read a few and take a chance," Lena said.Nancy Voelker of Center Township has three children in the program: Anna, 10; Kirsten, 9; and Thomas, 7. Voelker also names public speaking as one of the workshop's virtues."I think it's good for them to do something like this. They get to stand up and read their work — and sharing their ideas at such a young age in a public place: My girls love it. They want to come back," Voelker said.Taylor Gray, 11, who has participated in both sessions, also plans to return."Since I do do (the workshop) I think I can write a lot better at school — and use my imagination," said Taylor, a sixth grader at Center Avenue Elementary School. "Because really that's all we're doing here — is using our imagination for stories."Fox said an upcoming session will likely begin in early October with twice-monthly Tuesday sessions. A sign-up sheet will be posted in the library.
