Finding Your Voice Writing Club, a new club at Central, recently had its third meeting of the year. Amongst other activities, club members have worked on an “anti-five-paragraph-essay” rambling piece, a letter to a significant person in their lives, and poetry. They will be working with Solstice to publish various literary compositions.

Staley Sharples, senior, is the founder and president of the new club. She was inspired to start the club after attending what she considered an influential workshop at the Duke Young Writers Camp for the past three summers. “The workshop, also entitled “Finding Your Voice,” really opened my mind to the art of writing, shaped my style, and changed my life,” she said. The class that she attended was led by Barry Yeoman, a journalist. “I found it incredible that a group of kids could form such strong bonds over the craft of writing. That class is one of the major reasons for why I write today,” she said.

Sharples founded Finding Your Voice Writing Club in an effort to spread an appreciation for writing and its utility and power in the real world. She said, “I wanted to share my experience of “finding your voice” with my fellow students at Central, because everyone has a story to tell. This club is not just about writing– it’s about communicating with the world around you in a compassionate, informative, and determined way.”

While the club, sponsored by Mrs. Gina Chandler, has only recently started, members intend to realize and build upon an appreciation for writing. “My hope for FYV members is that they discover a passion for writing, as well as a passion for communicating and connecting with others,” said Sharples.