24 January 2013
CREATIVITY: Author, poet and professor Juan Herrera helps students with creative writing.
By Hannah Lerstad, Staff Writer
Poly students in the Puente Honors English program were given a workshop in creative writing on January 10 to enhance their writing skills.
The students, who were primarily sophomores and freshmen, had the opportunity to practice creative writing and poetry during the three-hour workshop. The students were also treated to lunch, courtesy of the Riverside Educational Enrichment Foundation (REEF) and Poly’s own Hospitality club.
The guest presenter, Juan Felipe Herrera, is a professor of creative writing at the University of California, Riverside and winner of the California Poet Laureate.
The seminar was a pilot for Herrera’s community outreach program Non-Violence in schools through the Arts (NOVA).
“I’m involved with NOVA – Non-Violence in schools through the Arts. Today was an experiment in that, for students to tell a story that deals with violence or the difference between expressing negative actions and expressing positive actions. I asked them to say something mean and something nice about another person, and they’ve said it was harder to say something nice,” Herrera said. “I want to inspire them to get in touch with their creative voice and selves to continue enriching their creative life.”
The writing was a nice change of pace for the students involved.
“It taught us how to get our feelings out and relate to others. It also taught us how to work together,” Poly students Breanna Wagner (10), Demi Digges (10) and Tina Velez (10) said.
“I think it will help me to be a better writer,” Poly student Rebecca Gutierrez (9) said.
Teachers also took the opportunity to expose students to styles of writing that are often pushed aside in the rush to teach essay-style writing.
“They get some exposure to writing that they don’t get to do. We do a lot of academic writing so we want them to develop their voices,” Poly teacher Lupe Avila said.
The seminar had sections devoted to individual writing and group poetry. It also focused on non-violence and dealing with difficult experiences in life.
When asked what advice he would give to young writers, Herrera responded: “Write before you write – don’t think about it, just write. Write all the time, and everyone’s story is your story, therefore you are limitless. Writing nourishes your inner peace. Writing creates inner peace. It’s a lifesaver. It turns into a personal fountain of growth. Don’t be afraid of success. Your point of view is valuable, your story is unique, and many people will benefit from it. All your stories are beautiful, no matter how painful they are.”