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.
Writers Week XVII
Mary Fons: Mary Fons had no problem showing her audience her personality. Her appearance and the way she presented her poems and just flat out talked to us, made me feel like she was talking to us as her friend. I really liked that she told us she wasn’t going to read her poems like people read them at a poetry slam. I completely agree that poems shouldn’t be read like that because that’s not really the way they flow. The way she read her poems made them so easy to listen to and to enjoy. Especially her last poem about love; she used so much emotion when reading and I really enjoyed it. I’m happy that she recorded that one, and maybe one day I might go check it out.
Dr. Small and Emily Hill’s Dad: These two aren’t professional writers, and when I heard their pieces, I could tell. However, this day was my favorite because their writing was so upfront and at times I laughed and awed. Dr. Small’s writing was entertaining and funny. I got a kick out of how she explained the kittens. Then Mr. Hill was so sweet when he stood up there and was vulnerable and told his daughter he loved her, I seriously awed at that.
Jonathan Eig: People keep commenting about their dislike for him and I disagree. I liked what he had to say about his books. He didn’t read us any of his work however he told us about what’s it like being a writer and I appreciated that. Dedicating so much time and energy and not knowing if you’ll get something out of it is risky but writers take that chance. I may not take that chance, but I’m happy Jonathan Eig did because he has succeeded because lots of people like his work, and I may be one of them. His appearance at Writers Week made me very curious and interested in his books. One day, I’m planning on picking up Get Capone.
Students: When watching the students, I liked some but not others. It was interesting to see such a range in talent. I was blown away by some of the writing that the students shared and even more so at their age. I commend everyone who got up and shared though because that took serious bravery. I noticed that all the writing was very personal and to get up and tell 555 people those personal stories was unbelievable.
Faculty: First of all I want to thank these men for making writers week happen, but I’m sorry to say that this day wasn’t one of my favorites. It might have been because of my lack of sleep the night before but I could not pay attention and I was literally falling asleep. It’s hard for me to comment on their writing. Some people probably think their writing is really good but I didn’t like it very much. A different presentation might have given me a different opinion but as of now this day was my least favorite.
Daphne Willis: She wasn’t during first period. However, I want to comment on her because she was by far my favorite. Her specialty at writers week wasn’t the type of writing we think of when we hear the word writer. She writes songs and they are fantastic songs. I might be biased because I love the type of music she created but the whole auditorium seemed to enjoy her. She was so comfortable on stage and tried to engage all of us and make us laugh. Plus she was so young and a Fremd graduate and therefore very easy to connect to. All in all, I really enjoyed this performance.
Overall, Writers week XVII was very enjoyable. I have to admit, not having a lot of homework made me like it so much more but hearing what the writers had to say was cool as well. I’ve never heard of any of those Writers before this week but I liked that. When they would tell us about their books or pieces of writing I was more engaged because I didn’t know anything about them and I wanted to know more. I don’t remember much of last year, but this year I engaged and I think I’ll remember more about this year. I ended up going in a lot of my other classes and sometimes at lunch by choice, so it’s safe to say that I really enjoy Writers Week and I don’t think it’s a waste of my time like I’ve heard some friends say. There’s a lot that you can get out of the stories of these writers.
Dr. Small and Emily Hill’s Dad: These two aren’t professional writers, and when I heard their pieces, I could tell. However, this day was my favorite because their writing was so upfront and at times I laughed and awed. Dr. Small’s writing was entertaining and funny. I got a kick out of how she explained the kittens. Then Mr. Hill was so sweet when he stood up there and was vulnerable and told his daughter he loved her, I seriously awed at that.
Jonathan Eig: People keep commenting about their dislike for him and I disagree. I liked what he had to say about his books. He didn’t read us any of his work however he told us about what’s it like being a writer and I appreciated that. Dedicating so much time and energy and not knowing if you’ll get something out of it is risky but writers take that chance. I may not take that chance, but I’m happy Jonathan Eig did because he has succeeded because lots of people like his work, and I may be one of them. His appearance at Writers Week made me very curious and interested in his books. One day, I’m planning on picking up Get Capone.
Students: When watching the students, I liked some but not others. It was interesting to see such a range in talent. I was blown away by some of the writing that the students shared and even more so at their age. I commend everyone who got up and shared though because that took serious bravery. I noticed that all the writing was very personal and to get up and tell 555 people those personal stories was unbelievable.
Faculty: First of all I want to thank these men for making writers week happen, but I’m sorry to say that this day wasn’t one of my favorites. It might have been because of my lack of sleep the night before but I could not pay attention and I was literally falling asleep. It’s hard for me to comment on their writing. Some people probably think their writing is really good but I didn’t like it very much. A different presentation might have given me a different opinion but as of now this day was my least favorite.
Daphne Willis: She wasn’t during first period. However, I want to comment on her because she was by far my favorite. Her specialty at writers week wasn’t the type of writing we think of when we hear the word writer. She writes songs and they are fantastic songs. I might be biased because I love the type of music she created but the whole auditorium seemed to enjoy her. She was so comfortable on stage and tried to engage all of us and make us laugh. Plus she was so young and a Fremd graduate and therefore very easy to connect to. All in all, I really enjoyed this performance.
Overall, Writers week XVII was very enjoyable. I have to admit, not having a lot of homework made me like it so much more but hearing what the writers had to say was cool as well. I’ve never heard of any of those Writers before this week but I liked that. When they would tell us about their books or pieces of writing I was more engaged because I didn’t know anything about them and I wanted to know more. I don’t remember much of last year, but this year I engaged and I think I’ll remember more about this year. I ended up going in a lot of my other classes and sometimes at lunch by choice, so it’s safe to say that I really enjoy Writers Week and I don’t think it’s a waste of my time like I’ve heard some friends say. There’s a lot that you can get out of the stories of these writers.
Writer's Week.
Mary Fons: I enjoyed Mary Fon's stage presence very much. She is indeed a wonderful performer, but then again it is her job. I think my favorite thing was just how calm she was about everything. Like a lot of the things she read must have had a lot of feeling behind them but she had all her feelings under control. Specifically the part about her dad. I feel like I would have had a harder time reading that. And her speaking poetry version of the Lady Gaga song was funny.
Dr. Small: I loved this. My mom grew up in village and when I visit there it is a lot like Dr. Small describes her farm. The animals and problems and all that come up living on a farm. I liked this piece cause it struck something in me. It made me realize that as much as I love big cities and look forward to living in one someday, part of me would also love to have a farm.
Mr. Hill: I enjoyed the simplicity of his writing. He basically told the story of life. Yes, he worded it a certain way to make it more interesting but that's basically what life is. And I thought the over all concept was funny. How it was a christmas newsletter basically. And the silly idea of trying to jam an entire year of your life into one short page.
Jonathan Eig: This sir has a very soothing voice. And he is just such a good speaker. I'm not saying he was entertaining per say, but he just spoke loudly and clearly. I didn't have to strain to hear what he was saying. I liked his books too. I mean from how he talked about them. History is a very interesting thing to discover and I could relate to him in wanting only the truth. I feel like if I was a writer I would go to the same extents he did to find the truth. I also found it absolutely fascinating how close to the truth he could get. Considering a lot of people may think, oh no, I'll never be able to like.. get a interview with Jackie Robinson's wife and all that. But he went out and he did.
Students: First of all I just have to say that as a presenter I totally give props to these kiddos because I know how scary it is to get up there and share your feelings and life to an audience. I think the story that struck me most from the students was Christine Veit's. Being able to talk about something that to me seems so traumatic is amazing. I thought Stephanie Fox's, while I love her, was strange. I mean, good in a ... F451 and Hunger Games way... but I didn't really enjoy either of those books. hah. So, it was good for what it was! But it's not a genre I enjoy.
Tony Romano, Kevin Brewner, Gary Anderson: I had a very hard time focusing during Gary Anderson's poems because Gary Anderson reminds me A LOT of my middle school's librarian. But when I wasn't thinking about that, I was listening to his poems, which were good. I remember there was a specific one about sisters. That one was my favorite. Cause it ended with "Will you be my sister?" And I thought that was cute. Um, Tony Romano's story... it was good too. I guess it didn't hit me too hard cause I related to much. From how his mom acts to the whole asking about their past thing... Its like standard for me. I didn't find it to special. But it was nice to relate.
Overall,
I had a wonderful time at writer's week. Presenting and listening. I was actually surprised at how well my presentation went and how fun it was. I was really scared but it turned out well. The only thing I regret now is that the period I was scheduled to go was not a busy period and I wish there were more people! Haha. Funny how that works... The last thing is this is the second year and I have yet to see Fanboys! Ugh! I guess I'll just have to wait till next year :)
Anna Purnyn
Monday, March 7, 2011
Mary Fons:
Mary was probably the most open about her life and feelings out of everyone I saw at Writers Week. She wasn’t afraid to express herself completely and show emotions to everyone in the auditorium that many of us hold back in front of a few people. At first I didn’t understand her paper world poem but by the end of it I followed it and it all tied together perfectly. At that point I decided that she was interesting to listen to and I valued her thoughts. I really related to her philosophy on writing when she was talking about her fathers’ day poem. She said that you can write a lot but still not say what you want to say. This happens to me often as well as with many others and this helped me connect with her and her opinions. Also, she said that, that is the reason that you have to keep writing. You have to write until you say what you need to say and I really like that viewpoint.
Dr. Small and Emily Hill’s Father:
At first I didn’t know what to expect out of these two presenters because neither of them are writers and I didn’t know how they connected to the event. I soon realized that they were performing to show that you don’t have to be a professional writer or even be that great at writing to share your stories and experiences with others. It was nice to see another side to Dr. Small and hear what life is like for her. Her stories about her farm were very interesting and diverse and I like how they were in the format of letters. Emily Hill’s father was also a very relatable person. He was just an average guy sharing some writing that he came up with. This actually made it more interesting because a lot of the things he spoke about were very easy to connect with your own experiences.
Jonathan Eig:
I was surprised that I enjoyed listening to Jonathan Eig because his I can’t really relate to his topics. When he started talking I was completely drawn in because he was so laid back yet excited about the information he was giving us. He put so much time and effort into these books that you can’t help but be interested in what inspired him. He kept saying how when he was writing these books he always looked deeper for the real story. He did succeed with this because he proved many movies with Al Capone and many rumors of Lou Gherig and Jackie Robinson wrong. I liked how he didn’t just write a sports story about Lou Gherig or Jackie Robinson, he really searched deep into their lives to learn about their personalities and behind the scenes experiences. This way his stories interest a more diverse audience and keep the reader interested.
Students:
Hearing my fellow peers present their personal writing during Writers’ Week inspires me to write and present a piece of my own. I admire their courage for sharing and presenting in front of everyone. I liked Christine Veit’s story because it made me think of my own dogs at home, which really touched me. I enjoyed listening to Emily Hoadley’s stories about the impatience of people in general. It was interesting because it makes you realize that those things actually do happen and can be viewed from a comical instead of irritated standpoint. I give all of these presenters props because they were brave enough to present their writing and not many others can do that.
Mr. Romano/Brewner/Anderson:
I was interested to listen to these teachers because it seems like English teachers always tell you how to write, but you never get to see or hear their own writing. Mr. Romano’s piece was fun to listen to because it had an interesting story plot and his accent that he used definitely helped keep the audience interested. Mr. Anderson’s poems were touching and each had great meaning behind each of them. He really expressed a lot of his feelings into them and was very descriptive, especially in his winter poem. I enjoyed Mr. Brewner’s story because I agree with the message that was behind it, that everything happens for a reason.
Writers Week this year was definitely more memorable than last year. Last year's Writers Week feels like a blur to me but I have a feeling that this year's stories and authors are going to stick with me. I saw so many inspiring and influential writers, professionals and students. It actually did inspire me to express myself more with my writing. It motivated me to start thinking about sharing more of what I write with others.
Mary Fons: Something that really stuck out to me about Mary Fons’ performance was that her passion for her poems was very apparent. In every one of her poems, she was totally connected to what she was saying. Nothing really fazed her, especially not performing in front of multiple classes of high school students. She was so outgoing and interactive with the audience, which was nice to witness. Overall, Mary Fons was a great way to start out Writers Week this year.
Dr. Small and Emily Hill’s Dad: I would like to start out this section by really congratulating Dr. Small, and Emily Hill’s Father on a job well done. Before they spoke, the made it known that they are writers. However, I think they did a phenomenal job presenting to us. I was paying attention to what they said. Even though they aren’t the best at presenting their writing, I think that they did very well. It took a lot of courage for them to do what they did. Both of them had great amounts of detail, and I could tell that their writing was very well-prepared. Another thing that I liked about their performances was that they were able to control themselves, and not let nerves take them over.
Jonathan Eig: Mr. Eig was very low key all through his presentation. That wasn’t a bad thing, but at times he did lose my attention. Even so, he made it very apparent that he put a lot of time and care into what he is writing. He was very comfortable performing, which made everyone relax while listening to him. What he really emphasized through his speech was that research is key. Being unfamiliar with his kind of genre of writing, it was interesting to see how meticulously he creates his book. There was so much effort but into his writing, and overall his presentation was very interesting for me.
Students: Like the faculty members on Tuesday, the student speakers showed a lot of courage presenting to us. Even though some of them were not the best speakers in the world, it was nice to hear the writing of my peers. I could tell that some of them were very nervous, but they were able to pull through and have effective presentations. It’s difficult for a student to present their writing, but I think that the first period student speakers passed with flying colors.
Faculty: These men were very experienced in presenting their writing, so I had high expectations for them. I thought all of them did very well presenting to us. All of them were very comfortable speaking in front of their students, so it was nice to see people who were very confident performing. All of them were very relaxed speaking, and all made good eye contact throughout. Seeing these teachers speak was a good way to end my first period Writer’s Week experience.
With everything considered, I thought that Writer’s Week XVII was better than last years. Part of it was that I actually appreciated the people who came to speak to us this year. Last year, I was just amazed that people were able to come to Fremd and speak. This year, I actually listened to what the writers had to say, and I enjoyed watching everyone speak. I like going to Writer’s Week because I really get to see how intelligent and effective writers are, and it also makes for a nice break in the typical school day. Writer’s Week XVII was a great success this year, and I’m looking forward to next year’s writers!
Dr. Small and Emily Hill’s Dad: I would like to start out this section by really congratulating Dr. Small, and Emily Hill’s Father on a job well done. Before they spoke, the made it known that they are writers. However, I think they did a phenomenal job presenting to us. I was paying attention to what they said. Even though they aren’t the best at presenting their writing, I think that they did very well. It took a lot of courage for them to do what they did. Both of them had great amounts of detail, and I could tell that their writing was very well-prepared. Another thing that I liked about their performances was that they were able to control themselves, and not let nerves take them over.
Jonathan Eig: Mr. Eig was very low key all through his presentation. That wasn’t a bad thing, but at times he did lose my attention. Even so, he made it very apparent that he put a lot of time and care into what he is writing. He was very comfortable performing, which made everyone relax while listening to him. What he really emphasized through his speech was that research is key. Being unfamiliar with his kind of genre of writing, it was interesting to see how meticulously he creates his book. There was so much effort but into his writing, and overall his presentation was very interesting for me.
Students: Like the faculty members on Tuesday, the student speakers showed a lot of courage presenting to us. Even though some of them were not the best speakers in the world, it was nice to hear the writing of my peers. I could tell that some of them were very nervous, but they were able to pull through and have effective presentations. It’s difficult for a student to present their writing, but I think that the first period student speakers passed with flying colors.
Faculty: These men were very experienced in presenting their writing, so I had high expectations for them. I thought all of them did very well presenting to us. All of them were very comfortable speaking in front of their students, so it was nice to see people who were very confident performing. All of them were very relaxed speaking, and all made good eye contact throughout. Seeing these teachers speak was a good way to end my first period Writer’s Week experience.
With everything considered, I thought that Writer’s Week XVII was better than last years. Part of it was that I actually appreciated the people who came to speak to us this year. Last year, I was just amazed that people were able to come to Fremd and speak. This year, I actually listened to what the writers had to say, and I enjoyed watching everyone speak. I like going to Writer’s Week because I really get to see how intelligent and effective writers are, and it also makes for a nice break in the typical school day. Writer’s Week XVII was a great success this year, and I’m looking forward to next year’s writers!
Writers week
Mary Fons:
I thought Mary Fons was the most interesting person we listened to, but she wasn’t my favorite. She was very lively so I never became bored, and she did a great job of painting a picture in my mind of what she wrote. I really liked that she talked about slam poets and kind of made fun of them for the way they presented. She said that when they do that, it isn’t their true identity and writing is all about expressing yourself and showing who you are.
Dr. Small:
I found Dr. Small’s writing very interesting. She talked about farm life, and she and her husband have to do on the farm. I’ve never been completely exposed to farm life so I learned a lot from it. The only thing I didn’t like was that I didn’t know why she was reading it. There didn’t seem to be a reason why she was reading it so I was a little bored and confused. Overall I think she did a good job and it was intriguing.
Mrs. Hill’s Dad:
He really surprised me. He started off boring, but it turned into a fascinating story. My favorite part was probably when he through some statements that embarrassed Mrs. Hill so that was pretty funny. I really liked the fact that he has never been a writer so it was cool to hear one of his first stories.
Jonathan Eig:
Jonathan Eig was definitely my favorite presenter. Even though it was quite boring at times, I feel like I learned a lot. I’m thinking about being some sort of writer so it was interesting to learn about what it takes to be one. I never knew that it took so much time and research to maybe come up with a story. I also really like the three topics he talked about because they were all about extraordinary people. It was cool to listen to a writer like him.
Students:
In general, the student writers weren’t as interesting as the other performers. I feel like they would’ve been better if we didn’t listen to six in one day because they got repetitive. They were still good though. I liked the story about the Jewel pharmacist. I kind of appreciate stories like those so it caught my interest. Even though I’ve criticized them, I think all the students we saw did a great job.
Mr. Romano, Mr, Anderson, Mr. Brewner:
All of them told very interesting stories that caught my attention. Mr. Romano’s was my favorite because it was so funny. The whole story was interesting and hilarious. Mr. Anderson’s was very good too. I liked how he talked about small town stories because I love small towns. Mr. Brewner’s was just as good. It was really cool how he thought that getting in a motorcycle accident actually helped and created who he is today. It really shows how he is someone who always looks at the bright side of things.
I thought Mary Fons was the most interesting person we listened to, but she wasn’t my favorite. She was very lively so I never became bored, and she did a great job of painting a picture in my mind of what she wrote. I really liked that she talked about slam poets and kind of made fun of them for the way they presented. She said that when they do that, it isn’t their true identity and writing is all about expressing yourself and showing who you are.
Dr. Small:
I found Dr. Small’s writing very interesting. She talked about farm life, and she and her husband have to do on the farm. I’ve never been completely exposed to farm life so I learned a lot from it. The only thing I didn’t like was that I didn’t know why she was reading it. There didn’t seem to be a reason why she was reading it so I was a little bored and confused. Overall I think she did a good job and it was intriguing.
Mrs. Hill’s Dad:
He really surprised me. He started off boring, but it turned into a fascinating story. My favorite part was probably when he through some statements that embarrassed Mrs. Hill so that was pretty funny. I really liked the fact that he has never been a writer so it was cool to hear one of his first stories.
Jonathan Eig:
Jonathan Eig was definitely my favorite presenter. Even though it was quite boring at times, I feel like I learned a lot. I’m thinking about being some sort of writer so it was interesting to learn about what it takes to be one. I never knew that it took so much time and research to maybe come up with a story. I also really like the three topics he talked about because they were all about extraordinary people. It was cool to listen to a writer like him.
Students:
In general, the student writers weren’t as interesting as the other performers. I feel like they would’ve been better if we didn’t listen to six in one day because they got repetitive. They were still good though. I liked the story about the Jewel pharmacist. I kind of appreciate stories like those so it caught my interest. Even though I’ve criticized them, I think all the students we saw did a great job.
Mr. Romano, Mr, Anderson, Mr. Brewner:
All of them told very interesting stories that caught my attention. Mr. Romano’s was my favorite because it was so funny. The whole story was interesting and hilarious. Mr. Anderson’s was very good too. I liked how he talked about small town stories because I love small towns. Mr. Brewner’s was just as good. It was really cool how he thought that getting in a motorcycle accident actually helped and created who he is today. It really shows how he is someone who always looks at the bright side of things.
Writer's Week 2011
Mary Fons: I think Mary Fons was definitely one of my favorite presenters at writer’s week. I really liked how she was so down to earth and “chill”. She shared poems that were really personal, and even when there were technical difficulties she was able to make a joke and lighten the mood. I also really admire her dedication to poetry. She talked about how she took a writing class in Europe and she was able to improve her poems and get a new prospective on her writings. She never settled with her skills, but worked hard to improve her writing as much as possible.
Dr. Small: I thought it was really brave of Dr. Small to share her story at writer’s week. Not everyday do we get to learn things that go on in the personal life of our principal. She obviously cared a lot about what she was reading since she got so emotion when she talked about her horse. The story was lighthearted and enjoyable to listen to.
Mr. Hill: I really liked this story that the presenter shared. The thing that was really stood out to me was how he went out of his comfort zone and shared his journal with his daughter. That is obviously not the easiest thing to do especially when your daughter says she wanted to “ripe up the stories”. He improved his writing and the end result was really interesting. The letter he shared was, in my opinion, really good. He was able to talk about his family, and his own personal experiences and make them sound relaxed, and funny.
Jonathan Eig: I didn’t really know what to expect when I heard Jonathan Eig was presenting. The only things I knew about him were from the video that we watched in class. By the end of his presentation I was really interested in the lives of Lou Gehrig, Al Capone and Jackie Robinson. My family is a huge baseball family so I already knew a lot about both Lou Gehrig and Jackie Robinson. What interested me the most was the life of Al Capone and how much more crimes Hollywood added to the life of Al Capone (Valentine’s day massacre). I had visited his cell at Alcatraz, but I never knew anything about his life. I also liked how he stated that he never told a lie in his story. He would do countless months of research in order to write his books, and sometimes he would drop the idea entirely if he believed the story was not good enough.
Student Presenters: I always love listening to student presenters because after they are done reading, you almost get to know a little bit about them. My favorite stories were by Stephanie Fox, and Sara Zoe Braun. With Stephanie’s story, she got really involved while reading it, and it think that helped create the scene of the story. I also thought it was intriguing how she wrote it in second person, and through the narration of a book. I loved Sara Zoe Braun’s story because it was one of those stories where you know the end before the beginning, and you have to listen to the story to learn why each event happened. The other presenters where good also, but I think one was too quiet when she read, and the other stories blended in with a lot of the other ones, there was nothing that stood out about them.
Tony Romano, Kevin Brewner, Gary Anderson: I thought that these presenters were a good ending to writer’s week. Mr. Romano’s story was hilarious, but at the same time, shared a lesson. In some parts he shared from his personal experiences, and in other parts he made things up. Mr. Anderson’s poems were pretty good, but they were really short which made it hard to pay attention to all of them, and remember their stories. Mr. Brewner’s story was the best though, in my opinion. He shared a lot about his personal life, and instead of being angry that a car hit him, he was thankful. It is a noble trait to be so forgiving, and also it is noteworthy that he comes back to writer’s week each year even though he is retired.
Overall….
I loved writer’s week last year, and I think it keeps improving. It is a good break from school, but at the same time you are still learning different lessons, and being able to listen to successful authors from around the United States. I was able to see how courageous people are by sharing their writing, and how proud they are to be themselves. Teenagers can be very judgmental so by getting up on stage and pouring your feelings out, I believe that is really noble. I liked seeing more teacher, and author presenter’s this year. Last year I remember seeing students every period I went, and by the end of some days, all I wanted to do was sleep! This year on the other hand, was completely different. We only had one day of student reader’s and I thought it was extremely interesting! I didn’t want to write too many notes because I was afraid I would have missed something if I did. I loved writer’s week this year, I can’t wait till next year!
-Claire Brady
Mary Fons:
Mary Fons was one of my favorite presenters. She was so funny, energetic, and acted out her pieces instead of just reading them. I like how she even had a costume for one of her poems! But it wasn’t all funny and smiley; she did add a personal poem about her dad, which was sad. She said that writing helps her figure things out, like her relationship with her dad (or lack there of) and I think that’s very true. I also had to see her second period with another class, and she read some different poems, which was nice to be able to hear more and not exactly know what was coming.
Dr. Small and Mrs. Emily Hill’s Dad: Absent
Jonathan Eig:
Mr. Eig was very laid back in the way he presented. It’s good he was able to feel so comfortable with us, but to me it just didn’t get my attention. That’s probably mostly due to the fact I’m not too interested in the topics of his books. However, I respect greatly that he cares so much about the facts. It’s amazing he was able to get a hold of the letters Lou Gehrig wrote to his doctor! He puts a lot of effort into getting the stories straight, and I appreciate that.
Students:
I always love hearing my fellow student presenters. It takes a lot of courage to get up and speak in front of your peers (and a lot of them!). I think they all did a very nice job, only I couldn’t really hear Diana Zheng. What I did hear of her piece was awesome about her relationship with her father and learning to forgive him. My favorite student presenter was Christine Veit. It was so descriptive, and one could feel the love she had for her dog.
Mr. Romano, Mr. Anderson, and Mr. Brewner:
Mr. Romano was another one of my favorite writers. His short story On Hold was well written and I like the way he read it, with the accents. It shows how one can forgive someone even if they do something really hurtful. Mr. Brewner’s story about how his accident helped him avoid being drafted made me think of connections. All three presented really well and I liked their writing!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Writers Week this year. It was useful to know how some of them got to be writers because it is a hard job to hold, and it was helpful to see different genres of writing. Also, writing isn’t just an essay from English class- one can do so much more by presenting different types of writing in a way that really touches the audience. Writers Week is so unlike the ordinary, and I am grateful for the opportunity.
Writers Week
Mary Fons: Mary Fons was personally my favorite performer out of writers week for many reasons. When she first started out with her piece, I really loved her energy and enthusiasm that she brought because for me it defiantly conveys to the audience. Also, I thought she had the most outgoing personality. For this reason, even I could relate to her because when she was sharing her writing and speaking to us, her inner childish side almost came through. I agree with Sarah because my favorite of her poems was also Coat Check Girl. The best thing I found about her was that she was truly passionate about her poetry. That's why I would tell that she was doing what she really loved. This lead to influencing me because after her performance I was inspired to someday try to write poetry like her. That is why for next year's Writers Week I will defiantly be looking forward to her performance.
Dr.Lisa Small: At first I was really surprised that even our own principal was going to share some of her writing with us. I thought it was really awesome how she incorporated her writing as a form of letters to her family. Throughout her writing, I got to learn how attached her childhood and she is to her farm. Dr.Small's writing was really inspiring because the little things about the farm that she shared with us held such a big meaning for her which she was able express in her letters. Overall, I really credit her for sharing such personal writing that she would originally use to communicate to her family with.
Mrs.Hill's Father: I thought his writing was really extraordinary in terms of his style. His style of writing was really vivid and by that I mean he was really using his writing to explain everything. It was really wonderful how one by one he was talking about all his family members. Throughout his writing it really shows how much he loves his family. Also, I really wish I could have listened to him more if I get the chance to. His performance really made me realize that at some point in my life I should also consider writing about my family because they are indeed such a big part of my life.
Jonathan Eig: Prior to his performance, I was really excited to hear from him about his book Alcapone. I had heard about his book earlier so that really strived me to think that why would somebody write about a criminal. Mr.Eig's performance was really beneficial because I learned how much effort and research you have to put into writing a book. When he was speaking about his book and telling us how he even traveled to another author in order to find the right facts, that really showed how passionate he was about his book and as an author overall.
Students: Firstly, I really credit all of the students that established enough confidence to come on stage and share such personal writing. It takes a lot of courage to share writing with everyone that you normally write to express your feelings. From the many student performers, one that I really enjoyed was of Stephanie Fox. When she was reading her piece I could almost imagine how that story must have happened. Her writing was very vivid in terms of her imagery that's why I can still recall most of it now. Another performer I really enjoyed was Diana Zheng. What I liked about her writing was that she chose to write about her relationship with her father and shared how it grew in terms of bonding. Overall, I really enjoyed all of the student performers because underneath their writing they all had some sort of story attached to it.
Tony Romano, Kevin Brewner, & Gary Anderson:
My favorite out of the faculty performers that we saw was Mr.Brewner. It may sound a little weird but I really loved Mr.Brewner's story that he told us about his injury that saved him from getting drafted into the army. I could totally relate my life to it because at times when bad things have happened to me, my mother would tell me that it's alright because this may save you from a bigger consequence in the future. What Mr.Brewner expressed throughout his writing was not just a story but he symbolized bigger meanings of life like hope, love, and wisdom. I really hope he comes back to writers week next year!
Buddy Wakefield:
Mr.Wakefield is a performance poet that I saw during 7th period. Throughout writers week, I found him to be the most entertaining. He had an amazing sense of humor and a great personality! Although he was really funny, his poems stood for deep meanings that sometimes represent life itself. One of his poems was about following your dream that I found really inspirational . Also, it may sound ridiculous but I felt that I have changed as a person after listening to him talk about forgiveness. He expressed in another one of his poems how no matter how bad the situation is you should always forgive and forget. That is what really came through to me and I myself should beleive on those words. I really look forward to him coming to writers week again next year.
Overall, writers week showed me how powerful writing is and that it plays a bigger role in life that people may think . Writers week is one of my favorite weeks because throughout you learn how people express their stories and experiences in many forms of their writing. One of the main things that I realized from writers week is that writing can hold and represent the most important lessons in life. Also, I think its a great way to know about the talented writers that we have at our school. It gives a great opportunity to people who want to share their writing. I was inspired by many of the performers and students that were at writers week this year that's why next year I will defiantly try my best to also take part in Writers week !
Dr.Lisa Small: At first I was really surprised that even our own principal was going to share some of her writing with us. I thought it was really awesome how she incorporated her writing as a form of letters to her family. Throughout her writing, I got to learn how attached her childhood and she is to her farm. Dr.Small's writing was really inspiring because the little things about the farm that she shared with us held such a big meaning for her which she was able express in her letters. Overall, I really credit her for sharing such personal writing that she would originally use to communicate to her family with.
Mrs.Hill's Father: I thought his writing was really extraordinary in terms of his style. His style of writing was really vivid and by that I mean he was really using his writing to explain everything. It was really wonderful how one by one he was talking about all his family members. Throughout his writing it really shows how much he loves his family. Also, I really wish I could have listened to him more if I get the chance to. His performance really made me realize that at some point in my life I should also consider writing about my family because they are indeed such a big part of my life.
Jonathan Eig: Prior to his performance, I was really excited to hear from him about his book Alcapone. I had heard about his book earlier so that really strived me to think that why would somebody write about a criminal. Mr.Eig's performance was really beneficial because I learned how much effort and research you have to put into writing a book. When he was speaking about his book and telling us how he even traveled to another author in order to find the right facts, that really showed how passionate he was about his book and as an author overall.
Students: Firstly, I really credit all of the students that established enough confidence to come on stage and share such personal writing. It takes a lot of courage to share writing with everyone that you normally write to express your feelings. From the many student performers, one that I really enjoyed was of Stephanie Fox. When she was reading her piece I could almost imagine how that story must have happened. Her writing was very vivid in terms of her imagery that's why I can still recall most of it now. Another performer I really enjoyed was Diana Zheng. What I liked about her writing was that she chose to write about her relationship with her father and shared how it grew in terms of bonding. Overall, I really enjoyed all of the student performers because underneath their writing they all had some sort of story attached to it.
Tony Romano, Kevin Brewner, & Gary Anderson:
My favorite out of the faculty performers that we saw was Mr.Brewner. It may sound a little weird but I really loved Mr.Brewner's story that he told us about his injury that saved him from getting drafted into the army. I could totally relate my life to it because at times when bad things have happened to me, my mother would tell me that it's alright because this may save you from a bigger consequence in the future. What Mr.Brewner expressed throughout his writing was not just a story but he symbolized bigger meanings of life like hope, love, and wisdom. I really hope he comes back to writers week next year!
Buddy Wakefield:
Mr.Wakefield is a performance poet that I saw during 7th period. Throughout writers week, I found him to be the most entertaining. He had an amazing sense of humor and a great personality! Although he was really funny, his poems stood for deep meanings that sometimes represent life itself. One of his poems was about following your dream that I found really inspirational . Also, it may sound ridiculous but I felt that I have changed as a person after listening to him talk about forgiveness. He expressed in another one of his poems how no matter how bad the situation is you should always forgive and forget. That is what really came through to me and I myself should beleive on those words. I really look forward to him coming to writers week again next year.
Overall, writers week showed me how powerful writing is and that it plays a bigger role in life that people may think . Writers week is one of my favorite weeks because throughout you learn how people express their stories and experiences in many forms of their writing. One of the main things that I realized from writers week is that writing can hold and represent the most important lessons in life. Also, I think its a great way to know about the talented writers that we have at our school. It gives a great opportunity to people who want to share their writing. I was inspired by many of the performers and students that were at writers week this year that's why next year I will defiantly try my best to also take part in Writers week !
Mary Fons: I would have to say that Mary Fons was definitely my favorite out of all the writers/performers I saw this year. She really knew how to take poetry to a new level and make it fun. She was extremely intriguing and very relatable. Mary knew who her audience was and made sure to communicate to the high school age group, especially with her Lady Gaga cover poem. She did not hold back at all and it was nice to listen to someone who was so open about their personal life. I thought it was interesting that she could even joke about the bad things in her life. She has a way with words and emotions that made me want to listen and really get into what she was saying.
Dr. Small and Mrs. Hill’s father: Both of these people shared very interesting pieces of writing. First of all, I enjoyed seeing a different side of Dr. Small. It was nice to see your principle in a different setting. Her story about the farm was really good because we got to see her emotions come out throughout the piece. Even though her horse did not die, she cried when she talked about that possibility. She told funny stories like how she got stung by so many bees and ironically ended up being allergic. Also, I found it funny when she talked about how her cat breed many kittens because one day over the summer, Dr. Small came to my poms practice and asked all of us if we’d like to adopt a kitten. It was funny to see the other side of where the kittens came from. Also, Mrs. Hill’s father was fun and relatable. I bet every single person in the audience was thinking of their family’s funny Christmas time stories as he explained his.
Jonathon Eig: I thought Jonathon was a very interesting and inspiring person to listen to. I agree with Priya that is it fascinating how much work a non-fiction author has to do. I liked hearing all the background information of how he received his information. Some of the cases were ironic and somehow showed up and others took months or even years to obtain. I thought that one of the most interesting things that Jonathon said was that you have to know when a good idea comes your way. That is very inspiring because most people our age have goals for the future and things they want to accomplish. He shows that hard work and perseverance really do pay off in the end.
Students: All of the students first period did a great job. I would have to say that Christine’s story was my favorite of the bunch. I agree with Sara that it was very well written, but also sad. She was extremely relatable and made you feel like you were there with her. I bet everyone with a pet could feel the pain she went through. Also, my second favorite person was Emily because you could really picture what she was talking about. She made her job humorous and her piece was also very well written.
Mr. Romano, Mr. Anderson, & Mr. Brewner: I agree with what many people have mentioned that it was great to see teachers at Writers Week. Normally it’s the students doing all the writing. I really enjoyed Mr. Anderson’s poems. He took the audience to different times in his life. The poem about “times to get married” was definitely my favorite. Also, I loved how Mr. Brewner’s story ended up. He thought that his car accident was all horrible, but it ended up helping him out in the future. This goes to show that you can really find something good in any and every bad.
Overall, this year’s Writers Week was extremely beneficial. I loved hearing from people that you normally wouldn’t. Also, I found out things about students and teachers that would have never known. Many of the performers and writers this year were very relatable. In every person I listened to I heard something that I could connect to. It showed me that writing can be fun sometimes. Also, I liked it more than last year because I fully realized how lucky our school is to have a program like this. Writers Week was fun and very enjoyable, not only first period, but every class period that I got to attend. Writing can really turn out to be more than you expect.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Writer's Week
Mary Fons:
I personally thought she was a very good speaker, easy to understand, and funny. I liked how she brought topics that we could easily relate too, like dating or the beginning of living on our own, which we'll all have to do soon. Or like the topic of divorce, or "seperation" which many kids can relate too. Also, i found it interesting when she talked about how poems came about, how they were almost little jewels in her head, just waiting to be found. But then when discovered were beautiful. She was very interesting and fun to listen too.
Dr. Small / Mrs. Hill's Dad:
I like how somebody who is supposed to be incharge of everybody was so open to sharing her feelings and her own life experiances. I thought the fact that she has a farm was really cool, and funny how she didn't like english but still ended up writing so much to her own family. I enjoyed listening to Mrs. Hill's Dad, because he brought so many personal experiances into it. Like the family "chaos," it was easy to relate too because my family is nuts, just like that. I thought they were both easy and interesting to listen too.
Jonathan Eig:
Out of all the speakers, I liked him the best. Mr. Eig wrote about many very interesting topics, and I loved the fact that he talked about being a info freak, that he didn't want to give any wrong info. I actually read his latest book, and loved it because you really found out how Al worked. I thought it was also funny how he explained too choose what you want to write carefully, because your stuck for the next few years. He was funny, and very interesting, A very good writer too, i enjoyed it.
Students-Absent
Mr. Romano/Brewner/Anderson:
I always love hearing teachers speak, because theres always the chance I'll have them the following year. Mr. Romano was my favorite, because of his stories. It reminds me so much of what my pa and nonno tell me about their young lives. And he mom reminds me of mine, typical italian, eat first think later. It's so easy to listen too because i can relate so much. Also, Mr Brewners message that everything happens for a reason or being fortuanate was so cool. How getting hit by a car saved his military sevice, i thought that was funny and has a good message. Also, Mr. Anderson's poems were good, i specifically liked the winter peom, it was easy to picture in my head.
I enjoyed Writers Week alot this year. Suprisingly more than last year. This year rather then just being happy about being out of class, I actually listened and payed attention to the writer's messages, and thought i got alot more out of it then I thought I would. I think I'm going to have to read Mr. Romano's book soon, because I enjoyed listening to him so much. Thanks for taking us!
I personally thought she was a very good speaker, easy to understand, and funny. I liked how she brought topics that we could easily relate too, like dating or the beginning of living on our own, which we'll all have to do soon. Or like the topic of divorce, or "seperation" which many kids can relate too. Also, i found it interesting when she talked about how poems came about, how they were almost little jewels in her head, just waiting to be found. But then when discovered were beautiful. She was very interesting and fun to listen too.
Dr. Small / Mrs. Hill's Dad:
I like how somebody who is supposed to be incharge of everybody was so open to sharing her feelings and her own life experiances. I thought the fact that she has a farm was really cool, and funny how she didn't like english but still ended up writing so much to her own family. I enjoyed listening to Mrs. Hill's Dad, because he brought so many personal experiances into it. Like the family "chaos," it was easy to relate too because my family is nuts, just like that. I thought they were both easy and interesting to listen too.
Jonathan Eig:
Out of all the speakers, I liked him the best. Mr. Eig wrote about many very interesting topics, and I loved the fact that he talked about being a info freak, that he didn't want to give any wrong info. I actually read his latest book, and loved it because you really found out how Al worked. I thought it was also funny how he explained too choose what you want to write carefully, because your stuck for the next few years. He was funny, and very interesting, A very good writer too, i enjoyed it.
Students-Absent
Mr. Romano/Brewner/Anderson:
I always love hearing teachers speak, because theres always the chance I'll have them the following year. Mr. Romano was my favorite, because of his stories. It reminds me so much of what my pa and nonno tell me about their young lives. And he mom reminds me of mine, typical italian, eat first think later. It's so easy to listen too because i can relate so much. Also, Mr Brewners message that everything happens for a reason or being fortuanate was so cool. How getting hit by a car saved his military sevice, i thought that was funny and has a good message. Also, Mr. Anderson's poems were good, i specifically liked the winter peom, it was easy to picture in my head.
I enjoyed Writers Week alot this year. Suprisingly more than last year. This year rather then just being happy about being out of class, I actually listened and payed attention to the writer's messages, and thought i got alot more out of it then I thought I would. I think I'm going to have to read Mr. Romano's book soon, because I enjoyed listening to him so much. Thanks for taking us!
Mary Fons: I agree with Priya about Mary being my favorite performance. She was not afraid of embarrassing herself because she wanted to express her poetry from her point of view. I definitely loved her attitude and personality because she was outgoing and turned out to be the opposite of what I expected. It was great that she was dramatic with effects to emphasize her works because it blended in well and made it amusing and enjoyable. I was also amazed at her ability of writing a poem in just a few minutes. Her performance started my week off great.
Dr. Small & Mrs. Emily Hill’s Dad: Both performances showed that one doesn’t have to be a writer to share a story. I enjoyed Dr. Small’s story about her life on a farm because it was detailed and descriptive about her daily chores and the environment. It seemed so different than living in the city, from the activities to the animals. In the beginning, I noticed how she seemed a little nervous, but soon after it seemed like she forgotten she was on stage. Mrs. Hill’s father’s story about his daughter’s childhood, seemed a lot relatable to my dad’s vision of my childhood, and I liked making the connections and similarities between my dad and him.
Jonathon Eig: I thought that Jonathon Eig was a writer/journalist who knew exactly what he was researching, and focused on his book so that the readers read about facts and not lies. His description of Al Capone was seen as a tough, murdering boss but also as a kind, misunderstood hero. He really was dedicated to his books, and the people who got to know him saw his passion as an author.
Student Writers: I admire my fellow students who shared their works to their school. It amazes me that they are brave and strong to tell us either personal stories or just pieces of writing they’re willing to share. For example, Diana Zheng didn’t sound or look nervous as she read her story. I enjoyed her story because it seemed like she spent a lot of her time creating and writing one. I also liked Emily’s personal experience of impatience not only because I can relate to it, but the fact she made it interesting and humorous.
Faculty: I agree with Tori that the three teachers/ex-teachers were comfortable and confident about presenting their writings. It was new and interesting to hear about what goes on in their lives out of school. I also agree with Taylor about the change of order, so that students can listen to their teachers’ writings since they have been reading the students’ papers for years. For example, Mr. Brewner was my substitute for the last quarter of my freshman year, and he didn’t say much about himself. I got to see him in a different point of view that I wouldn’t have found out if it weren’t for Writer’s Week.
Overall, this year’s Writer’s Week was even more enjoyable than last year’s, because I got to see teachers/students I know since last year I was only a freshman. They proved that even though one is not a writer, you don’t have to be one to share a piece or two. It was also great that I got to see new, talented performances like Mary Fons and Jonathon Eig. I love seeing new people perform, so maybe next year, I might be one of the new writers onstage.
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