"Middle School Literary Arts—the often misunderstood pathway that stands in the background and is forgotten at assemblies. What do we actually do? Apparently, there are a lot of people who don’t know." -- Alice stewart, 7th grade
Middle School Literary Arts—the often misunderstood pathway that stands in the background and is forgotten at assemblies. What do we actually do? Apparently, there are a lot of people who don’t know. So this article has been created to inform you of what Middle School Lit Arts actually does, and how it’s not just essays.
Middle School Literary Arts mainly does the Telegraph, fiction writing, and screenwriting. The OSA website’s summary says that, “The Literary Arts Department offers an inventive and intensive exploration of the art and practice of creative writing. Our program is a comprehensive, dynamic, and innovative introduction to literary genres, styles, and techniques driven by a faculty who are both dedicated teachers and practicing, published writers. Rigorous, craft-oriented writing workshops—with literature and literary analysis folded into the curriculum—comprise the core of our program.” Basically, that means that we do a bunch of different writing exercises, such as writing fiction pieces based on prompts.
According to Violet Regilio, a 7th grader in Lit Arts, “We do a bunch of different types of writing activities, such as fiction pieces and nonfiction pieces, like the Telegraph articles, which we do about ten [of] a year.” Violet Hirsch, a Lit Arts 6th grader agrees, stating that “We do lots of different projects that include the Telegraph and fiction writing.” Meanwhile, Lit Arts teacher Amelia Whitcomb describes Lit Arts as “[exploring] the varieties of different creative writing that a professional writer can pursue, being journalism, or poetry, fiction, screenwriting, or creative nonfiction.” Literary Arts also has a satirical newspaper, The Shallot, that posts fake articles for the last article of every school year.
Unfortunately, many people don’t understand what Lit Arts does. In fact, several people have accidentally proved this point. For instance, during the interview with Whitcomb, someone walked by and asked what we were doing, and did not appear to realize that Literary Arts did interviews. Also, during lunch, a teacher mistakenly referred to Lit Arts as “Storytelling,” a Pathway Access class that does similar things.
Interviewees have also shown this, as when 7th grade Production Design student Lillian Iverson was interviewed, they stated that they “think [we] make the school newspaper?” which is correct, but far from the detailed answers supplied by Lit Arts students. Seventh grade Visual Arts student Viva Caliendo has a similar sentiment, saying they know that “[Lit Arts] writes articles for the Telegraph & the seniors write books”, which is correct, but… basically what you get from being around a Lit Arts student for a year.
Lit Arts students also had some ideas for reasons people might not have heard about Lit Arts. Ana Jimenez-Morales, a new 8th grade Lit Arts student, says that “not many people are really interested in writing, or they think that writing means handwriting and similar activities.” Many other students echoed that statement, with 7th grader Paloma Bastos saying that “they don't understand what we do, and they just think we are a lame art so nobody cares, but we do a lot.” However, 7th grader Wesleigh Stone has a different idea, stating that “[s]ome people don't like writing… so anything that is related to writing goes over their head and they don't pay attention to it.”
However, Literary Arts students also have some ideas for ways to spread the word, with several pointing out how this article is being written. Many interviewed also think that just telling people should work, which did in Caliendo’s case. However, Bergmark has a more specific idea, stating that “[if Lit Arts did] more public events and readings, more people would know about it.” Middle School Lit Arts currently has the Spring Reading on March 6th, while High School Lit Arts has a Winter Reading on December 5th, a Valentine's Reading on February 13th, and the Senior Book Launch on May 8th.
Middle School Literary Arts mainly does the Telegraph, fiction writing, and screenwriting. The OSA website’s summary says that, “The Literary Arts Department offers an inventive and intensive exploration of the art and practice of creative writing. Our program is a comprehensive, dynamic, and innovative introduction to literary genres, styles, and techniques driven by a faculty who are both dedicated teachers and practicing, published writers. Rigorous, craft-oriented writing workshops—with literature and literary analysis folded into the curriculum—comprise the core of our program.” Basically, that means that we do a bunch of different writing exercises, such as writing fiction pieces based on prompts.
According to Violet Regilio, a 7th grader in Lit Arts, “We do a bunch of different types of writing activities, such as fiction pieces and nonfiction pieces, like the Telegraph articles, which we do about ten [of] a year.” Violet Hirsch, a Lit Arts 6th grader agrees, stating that “We do lots of different projects that include the Telegraph and fiction writing.” Meanwhile, Lit Arts teacher Amelia Whitcomb describes Lit Arts as “[exploring] the varieties of different creative writing that a professional writer can pursue, being journalism, or poetry, fiction, screenwriting, or creative nonfiction.” Literary Arts also has a satirical newspaper, The Shallot, that posts fake articles for the last article of every school year.
Unfortunately, many people don’t understand what Lit Arts does. In fact, several people have accidentally proved this point. For instance, during the interview with Whitcomb, someone walked by and asked what we were doing, and did not appear to realize that Literary Arts did interviews. Also, during lunch, a teacher mistakenly referred to Lit Arts as “Storytelling,” a Pathway Access class that does similar things.
Interviewees have also shown this, as when 7th grade Production Design student Lillian Iverson was interviewed, they stated that they “think [we] make the school newspaper?” which is correct, but far from the detailed answers supplied by Lit Arts students. Seventh grade Visual Arts student Viva Caliendo has a similar sentiment, saying they know that “[Lit Arts] writes articles for the Telegraph & the seniors write books”, which is correct, but… basically what you get from being around a Lit Arts student for a year.
Lit Arts students also had some ideas for reasons people might not have heard about Lit Arts. Ana Jimenez-Morales, a new 8th grade Lit Arts student, says that “not many people are really interested in writing, or they think that writing means handwriting and similar activities.” Many other students echoed that statement, with 7th grader Paloma Bastos saying that “they don't understand what we do, and they just think we are a lame art so nobody cares, but we do a lot.” However, 7th grader Wesleigh Stone has a different idea, stating that “[s]ome people don't like writing… so anything that is related to writing goes over their head and they don't pay attention to it.”
However, Literary Arts students also have some ideas for ways to spread the word, with several pointing out how this article is being written. Many interviewed also think that just telling people should work, which did in Caliendo’s case. However, Bergmark has a more specific idea, stating that “[if Lit Arts did] more public events and readings, more people would know about it.” Middle School Lit Arts currently has the Spring Reading on March 6th, while High School Lit Arts has a Winter Reading on December 5th, a Valentine's Reading on February 13th, and the Senior Book Launch on May 8th.
