Author Description

This inaugural anthology of work from the students in DDC Talented Youth Program’s Integrated Language Arts 4 Honors class is a wonderful slice of personal history for each author highlighted herein. These young authors’ writings focused on change and growth in attitudes, writings, and transition from one year to the next. Especially unique is that these youngsters are writing in their second language and experimenting with new literary techniques. Enjoy the beauty of their writing journey as they give expression to their inner feelings and thoughts about being seen through their writing. Our original writings’ focus was on growth and change in poetry and story forms. The students’ poetry included creating their own poems fashioned after Jack London’s Credo. They wrote an acrostic poem using their own names. Our incredible students transparently shared their own reflections in their frame poems on personal growth contrasting “That was me then and this in me now.” The frame poem gave students a structure that allowed them to focus on the feelings and contrasts in their lives so far. They submitted other poems, some just for fun. We broke down the components of a Hero’s Journey in contrast to the literary classic, The Invisible Man. Students saw how a hero can use their power to overtake obstacles or help others to move forward in their journey. Students were challenged to develop a story line, include dialogue, and focus on descriptions within their original stories. Enjoy these young authors’ writing as they share their inner voices and creative storytelling. You will want to keep these essays and stories tucked away in your hearts as you see them grow and change.