Sadly I was only there for one day of writer’s week so, I can only comment on the first day. Here we go.
Mary Fons: I loved how Mary Fons was so open. It was like she was talking to audience like we were her close personal friends when clearly we were not. She also made each poem special in its own way; it was like each poem had its own personality. For example her father’s day poem was kind of depressing. I remember one thing she said from that poem was, “to say that I have missed you lately is to say that I have been breathing lately.” If you think about that is depressing. She always misses her father but never really could do anything about it because it was just natural to miss him. Mary Fons couldn’t even write about him until the poem that she told us so I think that was cool that she could share those feelings with us high school students. Another thing I liked about Mary Fons was her take on love and people you care about. She said something along the lines of this: at some point the text messages stop for the things that really matter and people start to do things that are meaningful like writing poetry. I think that’s so true, and I really liked that she said that because it got me thing about the people that really matter in my life. Last but not least I really like how Mary Fons compared poems to jewels in a box. Each one takes a long time to perfect, but in the end it is worth it. That really can be applied to anything you have to work for in life so I liked how it could be connected to me. Overall I think Mary Fons was an amazing writer and presenter at writer’s week.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Writer's Week 2011
Mary Fons: I really enjoyed Fons’s down-to-earth style which was unlike some other poets I’ve heard who have the same dramatic style of performing poetry. While Fons performed her poems in a way that sounded close to these poets, it was much more genuine and real, rather than an act she was putting on for us. I felt like I could relate to her quite well and I really enjoyed her poems, especially “Coat Check Girl”. However, I feel like she may be one of my favorites simply because she was the only performance poet I saw during the week.
Dr. Small and Mrs. Emily Hill’s Dad: While Dr. Small did draw the audience in by leaving the subject of her piece a mystery until after she had performed it, I was a little confused on what was happening. I understood the story but since the context was unclear, it was difficult to understand the significance of the events. If I had known that the letters were emails sent to her family and the specific point in her life during which she wrote them, I think I would have been able to appreciate her writing more. I was a little hesitant at first when I discovered Mrs. Hill’s father was not a writer at all, but after hearing him perform a very well-written piece, I was inspired to see a non-writer that has developed writing skills through persistence and effort. It really shows that writing is not only a natural talent; it can also be advanced through practice.
Jonathan Eig: It seemed like students were getting rather bored with Eig but I really enjoyed learning about his approach to writing. He really seemed dedicated and I was really interested to know how he obtains facts for his biographies. While I do expect a writer to put in this much effort when writing a non-fiction book, the manner in which he went about collecting research was quite fascinating.
Students: The first student performer, Christine Veit, had a very touching performance and I appreciated that she was able to be share such an emotional story with us. Like Dominique and Taylor mentioned, I also enjoyed Stephanie Fox’s piece. She put a great amount of personality into her characters and her story, engaging the audience. Not many students are willing to do that and I admired her courage for doing so.
Faculty: Mr. Romano was a very engaging speaker and I enjoyed his piece. It wasn’t very dramatic or outlandish, and it did make me think about my relationship with my own parents and where it would be years from now. The poetry that Mr. Anderson read was also quite interesting and rather different from anything I had heard at Writer’s Week this year. I was drawn in by the fact that I didn’t know where the story of the poem would go or what he would describe next. Finally, I liked the way Mr. Brewner described to us his own experiences like he was telling a story rather than simple reading a piece of literature off a page.
Overall, I enjoyed myself at Writer’s Week this year. While the writers were not there to entertain us, like Miss Berdick pointed out, some of the presenters were very captivating. I appreciate Writer’s Week. It is such a unique experience, and rather inspiring seeing writers read or talk about their own pieces.
Writers Week XVII
Mary Fons: She was for sure my favorite writer at Writer's Week. I enjoyed how she was able to talk to us like she knew each of us individually. She was able to keep an audience hooked and interested in what she was saying because of the way she said it. Like Coat Check Girl. If she would have said that poem different and without any voices or hand movements the poem would have had a completely different impact on the crowd. Also, the poem about her dad was very emotional and I thought she was going to cry on stage at some points but she didn't which was probably something hard for her. I was surprised that she was able to open up with us so quickly about her personal life. My favorite piece from her had to be the love poem. I really want to check it out online. Plus, her Lady Gaga poem was funny.
Lisa Small and Mr. Hill: These two writers were obviously not professional writers and you could tell by the way they read their pieces but overall it was really well written. Like many of the below posts, I also feel like we don't really know our principal very well just because it's a big school and must of the students don't see her everyday. It was interesting to hear about what she does outside of school and the farm she lives on. To me she doesn't look like someone who would be into raising animals and living on a farm. I also enjoyed how she shared her personal emails with us. She could have written the story down instead but I like how she didn't. The part about her horse was really sweet. Mr. Hill had a similar but different story to share with us. Like Dr. Small, he also shared his personal emails that he sent to his family but talked about the past year. It was really sweet how he told his daughter "I love you" and how proud of her he really was. It showed how close they were. I have to admit though, his writing did get a little long at time, but overall he did a great job.
Jonathan Eig: I enjoyed listening to Jonathan and I was very surprised on how much research he actually did to get his books done. It was interesting to learn about how he got started on his research and how he found out all his information. It really showed how dedicated he was to make sure his readers got the truth. After hearing what he had to say, Get Capone is definitely on my summer reading list. He also showed us how hard it is to be a successful writer in this day and age. Wednesday was the second best day during Writer's Week in my opinion.
Students: Overall the students did a fantastic job! I admired their bravery to perform their personal stories infront of 555 students in the auditorium. I know that I wouldn't have been able to do that. My favorite student writer had to have been Christine Veit. Her story about her dog made me think of my own dog at home. I also liked listening to Emily Hoadley about her troubles at work at the pharmacy. Stephanie Fox was also a really good speaker. I liked how loud she was and kept everyone listening. Especially because it was first period.
Tony Romano, Kevin Brewner & Gary Anderson: I enjoyed listening to these three wonderful writers! I heard them talk last year and I was very excited to hear them again this year. Like last year, my favorite out of these speakers was Mr. Romano. I really liked his piece on his mom this year and how she took care of him. All of Mr. Anderson's pieces were so thoughtful and meaningful. I enjoyed hearing all of them. Mr. Brewner's story about his car accident was funny yet scary. It was funny because of the way he said it and how he was happy that he didn't have to fight in the war when he was looking for all of these reasons not to. But it was scary just because it's never good to hear about someone getting seriously hurt, not matter what the situation.
Overall: Writer's Week XVII was an awesome week. Every day I looked forward to coming to school and sitting in the auditrium to listen to everyone's thoughts. It made me realize that Fremd High School has some really talented writers and that anyone can be a writer, even if you hate it. I can't wait until Writer's Week 18!!!!
Lisa Small and Mr. Hill: These two writers were obviously not professional writers and you could tell by the way they read their pieces but overall it was really well written. Like many of the below posts, I also feel like we don't really know our principal very well just because it's a big school and must of the students don't see her everyday. It was interesting to hear about what she does outside of school and the farm she lives on. To me she doesn't look like someone who would be into raising animals and living on a farm. I also enjoyed how she shared her personal emails with us. She could have written the story down instead but I like how she didn't. The part about her horse was really sweet. Mr. Hill had a similar but different story to share with us. Like Dr. Small, he also shared his personal emails that he sent to his family but talked about the past year. It was really sweet how he told his daughter "I love you" and how proud of her he really was. It showed how close they were. I have to admit though, his writing did get a little long at time, but overall he did a great job.
Jonathan Eig: I enjoyed listening to Jonathan and I was very surprised on how much research he actually did to get his books done. It was interesting to learn about how he got started on his research and how he found out all his information. It really showed how dedicated he was to make sure his readers got the truth. After hearing what he had to say, Get Capone is definitely on my summer reading list. He also showed us how hard it is to be a successful writer in this day and age. Wednesday was the second best day during Writer's Week in my opinion.
Students: Overall the students did a fantastic job! I admired their bravery to perform their personal stories infront of 555 students in the auditorium. I know that I wouldn't have been able to do that. My favorite student writer had to have been Christine Veit. Her story about her dog made me think of my own dog at home. I also liked listening to Emily Hoadley about her troubles at work at the pharmacy. Stephanie Fox was also a really good speaker. I liked how loud she was and kept everyone listening. Especially because it was first period.
Tony Romano, Kevin Brewner & Gary Anderson: I enjoyed listening to these three wonderful writers! I heard them talk last year and I was very excited to hear them again this year. Like last year, my favorite out of these speakers was Mr. Romano. I really liked his piece on his mom this year and how she took care of him. All of Mr. Anderson's pieces were so thoughtful and meaningful. I enjoyed hearing all of them. Mr. Brewner's story about his car accident was funny yet scary. It was funny because of the way he said it and how he was happy that he didn't have to fight in the war when he was looking for all of these reasons not to. But it was scary just because it's never good to hear about someone getting seriously hurt, not matter what the situation.
Overall: Writer's Week XVII was an awesome week. Every day I looked forward to coming to school and sitting in the auditrium to listen to everyone's thoughts. It made me realize that Fremd High School has some really talented writers and that anyone can be a writer, even if you hate it. I can't wait until Writer's Week 18!!!!
Writer's Week Reactions
Mary Fons: In my opinion Mary Phons was the best person that we saw. Not only was her writing good, but she was also entertaining. I think thats what really won me over because she never lost my attention. I like how she wrote a poem on the spot and it was pretty clever. She was able to fit a pun into it. I also liked her ledy gaga impression because at first I didn't really understand what she was doing, but when I started recognizing the lyrics to the song I found it hilarious. ary Phons was by far my favorite writer.
Dr. Small/Emily Hill's dad: At first I was not interested in Dr. Small's presentation at all, but to my surprise it was very interesting. It was cool hearing about all the different animals on her farm and like Erik said it was interesting hearing our principal's writing. I've never really thought about Dr. Small and her writing and after hearing her presentation I realized that she is actually a good writer. Emily Hill's dad was not as interesting in my opinion. It was clear to me that he is a really good writer, but the topic that he was talking about didn't interest me very much. It seemed like he was just talking about family history and I found myself spacing out during parts of it. I would be interested to hear some other pieces of his because I think he is a really good writer.
Jonathan Eig: I disagree with Priya when she said that Jonathan Eig was the most interesting. I found his presentation to be a little too much about the background information. It is cool how he spent all that time finding the right information but I don't think that talking about the background information was the best way to present. It sounds like his books are really good because of all the time that he put into them, but I think his presentation was a little long and boring.
Students: Overall I think the students were average. I respect them greatly for speaking at Writer's Week and sharing their pieces, but I think some of the pieces were a little boring. One piece that I thought was really good was Christine's story about her dog. I could tell that the writing was coming from her heart and that she really did care about her dog. Also, her piece was interesting because of all the action that happened. It was a really sad story but the description of her emotions during the whole event were very clear, and that helped me see how much she cared about her dog. Her story was the best in the group in my opinion.
Mr. Romano, Mr. Anderson, and Mr. Brewner: I think it is really cool to see the English teachers that critique our writing on the stage reading their writing. Sometimes I forget that english teachers probably write in their free time. I really liked Mr. Brewner's story about his motorcycle accident. He is really lucky that he wore his helmet, and I liked how he told us he almost didn't wear it. At first he made the accident sound really bad, but then he told us hoe it helped him not get drafted. The story really came full circle when at the end he said thank you to the girl that cut him off. I found that funny that a bad event like a motorcycle accident can turn out to be good.
Overall: Overall, I think Writer's Week will really help my own writing. Listening and critiquing outher writing helps me think about the problems that I have in my own writing. When I notice something bad in someone else's writing, it made me think about when I make the same mistakes and it reminds to correct those mistakes in the future. Not only did it help my writing, but it was very enjoyable. It was really cool seeing professional writers, my teachers, and my peers on stage reading their writing to us. I have so much respect for the people that get on stage and read because writing can be very personal, and I can't see myself getting the courage to go on stage and read my writing.
Dr. Small/Emily Hill's dad: At first I was not interested in Dr. Small's presentation at all, but to my surprise it was very interesting. It was cool hearing about all the different animals on her farm and like Erik said it was interesting hearing our principal's writing. I've never really thought about Dr. Small and her writing and after hearing her presentation I realized that she is actually a good writer. Emily Hill's dad was not as interesting in my opinion. It was clear to me that he is a really good writer, but the topic that he was talking about didn't interest me very much. It seemed like he was just talking about family history and I found myself spacing out during parts of it. I would be interested to hear some other pieces of his because I think he is a really good writer.
Jonathan Eig: I disagree with Priya when she said that Jonathan Eig was the most interesting. I found his presentation to be a little too much about the background information. It is cool how he spent all that time finding the right information but I don't think that talking about the background information was the best way to present. It sounds like his books are really good because of all the time that he put into them, but I think his presentation was a little long and boring.
Students: Overall I think the students were average. I respect them greatly for speaking at Writer's Week and sharing their pieces, but I think some of the pieces were a little boring. One piece that I thought was really good was Christine's story about her dog. I could tell that the writing was coming from her heart and that she really did care about her dog. Also, her piece was interesting because of all the action that happened. It was a really sad story but the description of her emotions during the whole event were very clear, and that helped me see how much she cared about her dog. Her story was the best in the group in my opinion.
Mr. Romano, Mr. Anderson, and Mr. Brewner: I think it is really cool to see the English teachers that critique our writing on the stage reading their writing. Sometimes I forget that english teachers probably write in their free time. I really liked Mr. Brewner's story about his motorcycle accident. He is really lucky that he wore his helmet, and I liked how he told us he almost didn't wear it. At first he made the accident sound really bad, but then he told us hoe it helped him not get drafted. The story really came full circle when at the end he said thank you to the girl that cut him off. I found that funny that a bad event like a motorcycle accident can turn out to be good.
Overall: Overall, I think Writer's Week will really help my own writing. Listening and critiquing outher writing helps me think about the problems that I have in my own writing. When I notice something bad in someone else's writing, it made me think about when I make the same mistakes and it reminds to correct those mistakes in the future. Not only did it help my writing, but it was very enjoyable. It was really cool seeing professional writers, my teachers, and my peers on stage reading their writing to us. I have so much respect for the people that get on stage and read because writing can be very personal, and I can't see myself getting the courage to go on stage and read my writing.
Writers Week!
Mary Fons: As seems to be the consensus, Mary Fons was my favorite presenter of the week. She had great stage presence and was extremely funny. She was able to talk about some very personal subjects with apparent ease, namely her poem about her dad and talking about problems with her husband. I don’t think I could ever speak that personally in front of an audience. In addition, I felt her insty-poem was a great demonstration of just how creative and talented she is. The one thing she said that really struck me was when she talked about how poems and quilts, even though they’re both old-fashioned and simple, can have much more meaning as gifts than expensive things. I also really liked her comment about how poems, like jewels, take time to form, except a bunch of people already said that. You should all be ashamed.
Dr Small: I really enjoyed this performance. Dr. Small illustrated that interesting pieces of writing can come from unlikely or unintended places, such as in e-mails to one’s family in this case. Overall, the whole story was great. Oftentimes I forget that teachers and administrators actually have lives outside of school, and I was quite surprised to find out about Dr. Small’s other life. I really felt how connected she was to her story when she talked about her foal. Although I’m sure this part seemed over-emotional to many, having spent a good part of my life as a competitive horserider, I understand the close connection people have with their horses.
Mr. Hill: Just as Dr. Small’s performance, this served as a great reminder that you don’t have to be a professional writer to enjoy writing. He was a great example of what good teaching, in this case by his daughter, can do for a writer. I’m sure most of us have heard the phrase “Write what you know.” Mr. Hill exemplified this ideal in his story. I could really sense the love he has for his family, and that he was truly connected to his writing.
Jonathan Eig: This definitely wasn’t my favorite performance of the week, but that’s not to say it wasn’t enjoyable. Eig’s presentation was interesting, but his delivery was a bit mundane at points. However, I really admired his meticulousness when writing his books. His incredible dedication to getting all of the facts right through working with primary sources appeared to have taken a lot of passion, and he clearly loves what he does. Also, I found it really interesting how he tried to take the stories of Al Capone, Lou Gehrig, and Jackie Robinson and tell parts of their life other than the things that we immediately think of. I was surprised that I wanted to read his books even though I’m not a huge fan of sports books. This presentation was very unique in that aspect.
Students: I always love hearing fellow students perform. I know what it takes to get up and present, as Writers Week is in a way a larger scale speech tournament, and as everyone knows, I’m pretty much obsessed with all things speech related. Everything was incredibly well written, and despite some presentation issues, I enjoyed every minute of this period. I’d have to say my favorite was Stephanie Fox. Her piece was both thought provoking and enthusiastically presented. I also really liked the story about the pharmacy. Although it was simple on the surface, it really made me think about how we interact with each other, both good and bad. All of the writers definitely inspired me to write something for next year.
Mr. Romano, Mr. Anderson, and Mr. Brewner: All three of the faculty performers were great to listen to. Mr. Romano did a great job of writing what he knows. His accents and vocal delivery really added to the performance. Also, I liked what he said during questions that even though the exact events in the story hadn’t happened to him, he was drawing upon things that had influenced his life, such as his Italian culture. I also enjoyed Mr. Anderson’s poems. They were very simple and talked about things that affect us all, such as the winter. His writing style was almost earthy in a way, and it really drew me in. Mr. Brewner’s story about his motorcycle accident was probably my favorite. This reminded me of a conversation one of my speech coaches had with a girl who hadn’t gotten into her top choice college. Basically, both emphasized that, even if some life event comes along that seems catastrophic at the time, it will often lead you to the place in life you were meant to be. Overall, this period made me realize how lucky we are to have such talented faculty members.
Overall: This week just reminded me how much I like Writers Week. And, no, not because we got to miss class for a week. Every period was filled with insight, passion, sadness, joy, and everything in between. From the courage of student writers, to the technical mastery of the professionals, every single person who got on that stage inspired me in some way this week. I’m honestly glad that, unlike some classes, we weren’t loaded with tons of writing about this week, as it gave me a chance not to just hear, but to listen. Next year, I would like nothing better to be up on that stage reading. Hopefully, unlike this year, my procrastination won’t get the better of me.
-Elizabeth Davies
Writer's Week!
Mary Fons: I loved Mary Fons, and she was a great start to Writer's Week. I didn't get the chance to go much last year, and I definitely didn't get to experience such an expressive writer. It amazed me how open she was and how comfortable she looked on stage. She was quirky and kind of crazy, but in a good way! I loved how her poetry was so drawn from personal experiences, yet very relatable to us all...life, weddings, love, bad jobs, etc! Not only did her talent with poetry capture my attention, but the way that she carried herself and performed was what really made her stand out as one of favorites.
Dr. Small and Mr. Hill: Like others have said, I feel like I didn't know much about our principal, but this was a great experience that allowed me to see a bit into her personal life and "get to know" her better. Her story was intersting and definitely different (a farm!). It was funny but also emotional, adding even more connection between her and the students/audience. Also, when she revealed that she had read us actual emails, I thought it was very interesting and that it was awesome how personal she had made her presentation. Mrs. Hill's dad was also very personal, sharing a lot about his life. Like Robin said, there was something about him and his piece that made you "awww." He was very relatable in the fact that he wasn't reaaaally a writer, just an average guy, and I liked how, in a way, he stepped out of his comfort zone, like Claire said.
Jonathan Eig: I loved seeing Jonathan Eig! I was amazed at how much time and effort he put into his writing. He spent years searching for documents, trying to talk with family members, and trying to get his stories as true as they could possibly be. I also loved how irked he was by writers with misguiding information. I think it's great that he wants to establish a feeling of complete trust between himself and the readers. When I went home, I found myself telling my family about him and how I was amazed that he would put SO MUCH into his books, caring so much about the facts, even though the outcome (popularity, book sales, etc) is uncertain. It really shows a true passion that I find admirable.
Students: I love seeing students present! I love getting to see a side of people that I might not have known about and just getting that brief look into thier personal life. My favorites were probably Christine, Stephanie, and Emily. I really liked Christine Veit's story about her dog. It was personal and very well written, and it seemed to capture a lot of attention with how real and how sad it was. Stephanie Fox's peice captured my attention with the point of view coming from a character inside a book. That's something you don't hear very often, and it was a very interesting approach. Emily Hoadley's story about her job and the impatient people she encounters was one I really enjoyed. As she read, I completely undertood where she was coming from, and I've definitely experienced people like that before. It also made me more aware that I should be careful to not be one of those impatient, rude people that ends up in someone's Writer's Week story. The other students were wonderful, too, and I loved the assortment of peices I got to hear!
Tony Romano, Kevin Brewner, Gary Anderson: Mr. Romano likable and comfortable up there, and his story was very funny at times, too. He seemed to keep the audience's attention. I liked how he added little Italian phrases in it, too. Little things like that made it more personal and interesting. Mr. Anderson was also very good. Contrary to what Claire said, I actually liked that his poems were short. They were short and sweet, pretty casual but still conveying his message well. My favorite was probably the one about the umpire being a "minister". And finally, Mr. Brewner. He was my favorite. At first, I wasn't sure what he meant by the "connections" in life, but at the end of his story, I loved his point about intertwining events and things happening for a reason. His positive respone to his accident was interesting and made me realize that sometimes we can look at events in life in a different way.
Overall, I loved Writer's Week. I liked it last year, but this year I got way more involved and tried to make it to see as many people as I could! It's great to see all of the different styles that people have and to get fresh opinions and tips on writing. I enjoy writing (poetry), but this always makes me want to write more, and sometimes I get stuck in my own style, and it's cool to see others' and be able to take a little bit away from each presenter.
Dr. Small and Mr. Hill: Like others have said, I feel like I didn't know much about our principal, but this was a great experience that allowed me to see a bit into her personal life and "get to know" her better. Her story was intersting and definitely different (a farm!). It was funny but also emotional, adding even more connection between her and the students/audience. Also, when she revealed that she had read us actual emails, I thought it was very interesting and that it was awesome how personal she had made her presentation. Mrs. Hill's dad was also very personal, sharing a lot about his life. Like Robin said, there was something about him and his piece that made you "awww." He was very relatable in the fact that he wasn't reaaaally a writer, just an average guy, and I liked how, in a way, he stepped out of his comfort zone, like Claire said.
Jonathan Eig: I loved seeing Jonathan Eig! I was amazed at how much time and effort he put into his writing. He spent years searching for documents, trying to talk with family members, and trying to get his stories as true as they could possibly be. I also loved how irked he was by writers with misguiding information. I think it's great that he wants to establish a feeling of complete trust between himself and the readers. When I went home, I found myself telling my family about him and how I was amazed that he would put SO MUCH into his books, caring so much about the facts, even though the outcome (popularity, book sales, etc) is uncertain. It really shows a true passion that I find admirable.
Students: I love seeing students present! I love getting to see a side of people that I might not have known about and just getting that brief look into thier personal life. My favorites were probably Christine, Stephanie, and Emily. I really liked Christine Veit's story about her dog. It was personal and very well written, and it seemed to capture a lot of attention with how real and how sad it was. Stephanie Fox's peice captured my attention with the point of view coming from a character inside a book. That's something you don't hear very often, and it was a very interesting approach. Emily Hoadley's story about her job and the impatient people she encounters was one I really enjoyed. As she read, I completely undertood where she was coming from, and I've definitely experienced people like that before. It also made me more aware that I should be careful to not be one of those impatient, rude people that ends up in someone's Writer's Week story. The other students were wonderful, too, and I loved the assortment of peices I got to hear!
Tony Romano, Kevin Brewner, Gary Anderson: Mr. Romano likable and comfortable up there, and his story was very funny at times, too. He seemed to keep the audience's attention. I liked how he added little Italian phrases in it, too. Little things like that made it more personal and interesting. Mr. Anderson was also very good. Contrary to what Claire said, I actually liked that his poems were short. They were short and sweet, pretty casual but still conveying his message well. My favorite was probably the one about the umpire being a "minister". And finally, Mr. Brewner. He was my favorite. At first, I wasn't sure what he meant by the "connections" in life, but at the end of his story, I loved his point about intertwining events and things happening for a reason. His positive respone to his accident was interesting and made me realize that sometimes we can look at events in life in a different way.
Overall, I loved Writer's Week. I liked it last year, but this year I got way more involved and tried to make it to see as many people as I could! It's great to see all of the different styles that people have and to get fresh opinions and tips on writing. I enjoy writing (poetry), but this always makes me want to write more, and sometimes I get stuck in my own style, and it's cool to see others' and be able to take a little bit away from each presenter.
Writer's Week
Mary Fons: I found Mary Fons very interesting and different. She seemed fresh and relatable with her different body movements and little jokes that kept the mood light. I agree with Bushra and Sara that Coat Check Girl was my favorite because of how she got into it so completely with the voices and her body. I also enjoyed her cover poems and thought the poem she wrote on the spot was funny and showed her talent. I think she was really enjoyable to see because of how passionate she is about poetry.
Dr. Small: Like Claire said, we don’t always see the more personal side of our principal, I personally feel like I barely know her and so to hear this was eye opening. Her story was enjoyable to listen to because it had both happy moments and sad ones, plus everyone loves animals! I thought it was a great decision of hers to participate in Writers Week and I thought she had a great story to share.
Mr. Hill: I was impressed when Mr. Hill’s daughter told us about how he had been working and working on improving his writing and had finally made it basically perfect. The story itself though I found hard to follow and didn’t really enjoy because half the time I spent catching up on who we were talking about next because he talked about so many different people in his family. Overall I’m sure it was well written, it just may not have been a great piece to share out loud.
Jonathan Eig: I found him being one of my favorite people I saw at writer’s week because he really shared how much he devotes himself to his books and how important they are to him which makes me want to read his books. The fact that he told us he would never put in false information or make up actions of his characters into his books’ shows that he’s not just trying to make money but get the right information out into the world. I thought he was interesting to listen to and seems like a great author.
Students: Each of the student presenters did a really good job just by getting up in front of the auditorium. I completely agree with Melissa that Diana Zheng was hard to hear making me not very interested and she also talked in a bit of a monotone voice making it less interesting. Christine Veit in my opinion was amazing; her story was descriptive and relatable which are two important factors to me. I didn’t feel like she left me wondering at any point of thinking wait how did we get to this point and overall she was my favorite student presenter I saw.
Mr. Romano, Mr. Anderson, and Mr. Brewner: Along with Claire I think they were a great end to writer’s week. Mr. Romano had a funny story that was entertaining to listen to especially because of how loving he is toward his mother. Mr. Andersons 5 time’s poem was my favorite because it was cute and fascinating to hear. Mr. Brewner was my favorite of Friday because his story was surprising to hear yet fantastic. His belief that everything is interconnected helps him look at the bright side and I think that is a really good role model for teenagers especially to have.
Overall: Each day writer’s week was pleasurable to sit through because so many people did a great job. I think our school is so lucky to get this week because it brings out role models in our community and country, which helps us to see the world in a different way. Writing in all different styles is important and intense in it’s own way and writer’s week really brings that out.
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