For the third year in a row, Furman University Libraries welcomed middle school students from Beck Academy’s Creative Writing Club for a unique workshop designed to encourage and develop young writers. Organized and facilitated by Allison Diaz ’99, Instruction and Research Services Librarian, the program was co-led by sixth-grade English teacher Katie Sutton, who brought 14 enthusiastic sixth, seventh, and eighth graders eager to learn and explore the world of creative writing.
This year’s main session was led by Furman senior Caroline Prewitt, an English Writing major and Journalism minor from Mississippi. Caroline brings extensive experience as a writer for The Paladin newspaper and a member of the editorial board for The Echo. She’ll be heading to journalism school in New York City after graduation. When asked about her involvement in the workshop Caroline said, “I loved to write when I was in middle school, and I wanted to encourage their creativity and the idea that writing can be fun and silly and it can be a form of self-expression.”
Caroline kicked off the workshop by sharing her journey as a writer. She talked about her favorite pieces, shared examples of her own writing, and explained how students—even in middle school—can submit their work for publication through outlets like the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
The workshop featured two engaging writing activities. In the first, students created “paint chip poetry,” using paint samples to inspire colorful lines and imaginative verse. In the second, they dove into “mad libs poetry,” working through the five senses to expand imagery in response to the prompt: “My ____ is a (animal) that ____.” Students shared their work aloud and offered each other thoughtful feedback.
Beyond the writing session, students toured the Furman campus—including classrooms, dorms, the Place of Peace, and the Bell Tower—and had lunch in the dining hall. Many of the students loved the dining hall, said they love Furman and want to come here. During their library tour, they compared Furman’s facilities to their own school library and learned about research assistance and how college students get help finding academic resources.
As Allison put it, “It plants the seed for them to envision themselves as students, actively engaging in discussion and learning.”
This workshop, originally developed as a way to reward and enrich the club members’ year-long efforts, has become a cherished tradition. One of the Beck Academy students, has attended all three years.
We’re proud to support programs like this that connect Furman with young learners and celebrate the joy of creativity. A huge thank you to Allison Diaz and Caroline Prewitt and for another fantastic workshop!