Creative Writing

Explore the power of words and narration. Maya Angelou says, “The writer has to take the most used, most familiar objects— nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs — ball them together, and make them bounce.” Join us for creative writing exercises that loosen up your imagination while stretching your descriptive writing muscles; work with fellow writers to develop an original voice and a constructive ear.

We will flex our writing muscles with collaborative exercises, prompts, and journaling to help craft original poems. No prior writing experience necessary, just a willingness to make your words bounce!

Find out how words can create images, engage the senses, inspire emotions, and invite us on journeys to new places. We’ll spend the week exploring different genres of creative writing: poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction, to exercise the old adage, “Show, don’t tell.” It has been said that writing is a muscle. Throughout the week we will flex our writing muscles with collaborative exercises, readings, prompts and journaling. Whether you are working on a research paper, high school or college admissions essay, writing an email to a teacher, or adding a new post to your blog, the value of good writing skills is endless.

Cost: $450 Early Bird. $525 after April 11, 2025
Ages: Rising 7th, 8th, & 9th Graders

Lunch is included!
 

Instructor: Clarissa Mendiola (Session I and II)

Clarissa Mendiola joined SHC in 2013 and has served in the Office of Communications, and as an instructor in the Summer and Winter Institute programs. She currently serves as an Instructor of English. Clarissa has a BA in Marketing from the University of San Francisco and an MFA in Writing with a focus in Creative Non-Fiction and Poetry from California College of the Arts. She was a 2011 Hedgebrook Writer in Residence and her work can be seen in various journals and publications including As/Us, Literary Hub, Indigenous Literatures of Micronesia, Indigenous Pacific Islander Eco-Literatures, and The Long Devotion: Poets Writing Motherhood.

Instructor: Charmaine Benham (Session III)

Charmaine Benham is a lifelong learner with diverse interests, constantly exploring new fields and ideas, which helps her connect with students in unique ways. She attended St. John’s College and NYU, where she studied Philosophy and Russian Literature. She currently teaches Chemistry and Marine Biology at Sacred Heart Cathedral, but has also taught both English and Physics, allowing her to bring a broad, interdisciplinary approach to her classes. As a Bay Area native, she is passionate about sharing the wonders of the local environment in order to bring the subject she’s teaching to life. Her goal is to inspire students to embrace curiosity and develop a love for learning that lasts a lifetime.