A group of Saline High School Writing Center students presented at a conference on the campus of the University of Massachusetts in Boston held in mid-March. The students were able to sightsee, attend the conference and then present on the great work of the SHS Writing Center.

To learn more about this, the Sun Times News connected with SHS teachers Madelyn Clark and Jen Denzin.

They said students who participated are all juniors and seniors who are consultants for the SHS Writing Center. The students self selected participating in the trip as part of the groups who presented.

“The trip allowed students to meet and learn with peers from across the country,” Denzin and Clark said. “They toured an amazingly rich historical city, and participated in a professional conference that gave them a peek into how their experiences can evolve and influence the writing of their peers and extend to the world of higher education.”

One presentation was given by SHS students Anastasia Dubovoy, Maddie Holderbaum, Ava House, Mara McClellan, and Olivia Simon. It was called: “Combating Writing Anxiety: How to Make Sessions Comfortable For All Writers.”

This group said their presentation covered “writing anxiety as it relates to two topics—anxiety surrounding writing itself and apprehensiveness about getting feedback on one’s writing—with the goal of improving our understanding of how we, as consultants, can help people become more confident and effective writers.”

The other two presentations were:

“Guide to Online Submissions,” which highlighted “the convenience and accessibility of having an online form for students’ submissions. It also walks through the process of setting up an online program, as well as the steps we take to assign and edit student submissions.”

“Bridging the Gap: Multigenerational Writing,” in which the students shared “ways our writing center interacts with the community, from working with elementary students and reading short stories to hosting writing marathons with our local senior center writers’ group. Attendees will leave with ideas for how they too can interact with their community, inspiring intergenerational writing for all.”

A group of Saline students at the conference in Boston. photo courtesy of Saline Area Schools Facebook page