Aspiring young writers invited to participate in Champion City Write Now

Know of any aspiring writers? Any young Agatha Christie or Twain prodigies in the family?

A writing camp serving young writers in the community is launching its second summer at Wittenberg University. Champion City Write Now has come to fruition thanks to Wittenberg professor Erin Hill. 

Erin Hill organizes the Champion City Write Now summer camp in her hometown.Hill, a Clark County native who attended Wittenberg’s basketball camp in her youth, never foresaw herself as an educator at the school. She grew up with a deeply rooted interest in literature, didn’t see much opportunity locally at the time, and didn’t agree with the notion that she had to choose between writing and her skills as an athlete.

After leaving the area for a period of time spent living in The Bronx, New York, and teaching high school, Hill has been working at Wittenberg for six years in the Department of Education. She has had a vision for a summer writing program for the community since she first interviewed at the university. This is when she gave a talk to a panel of university administrators to develop a creative writing initiative for students in Clark County. 

When it comes to the roots of this project, Hill says: “Being from Clark County, I was intimately aware of the fact that if you are an athlete, performing or visual artist, or a musician there are lots of opportunities for you here. But if you are a creative writer growing up here you might go to a school that doesn’t even have a creative writing elective. You don’t have a lot of opportunities to excel, shine, or even easily be around other writers, which can be invigorating. It (a camp) provides a sense of community and encouragement. I’ve just been acutely aware, as a writer myself and as someone who was in the same position, that it just felt like it was lacking for writers. That was just what I pitched to the hiring committee when I was interviewed.”

Due to funding, it wasn’t until her fourth year that she was able to start recruiting other educators to guide and teach the different branches of the program. With the support of The Wittenberg Board of Directors and the senior staff, they launched their first camp in the summer of 2023. In the initial year, there were 12 participants. “It was a super good crew to start with and beta-test the system. That went amazingly!” Hill says

The Champion City Write Now group from 2023.The first year, in 2023, students from rising grades 10-12 were invited for one week. The program included four days of “day camp” that were split up to feature a different creative writing form and exercise to focus on for each day — fiction, poetry, graphic work, and creative nonfiction such as essays. The fifth day is reserved for a public reading in the evenings on campus. There were nearly 100 in attendance at last year’s reading event.

All students are welcome to celebrate this art form, including students who are working to sharpen their abilities. “It can be so powerful for these young writers to read their work and have an audience to do it for,” says Hill. The weeklong camp will have a similar structure this summer.

The Springfield Foundation awarded Champion City Write Now a grant that will allow a second week for the camp during the summer of 2024. This week will be designated for youth from rising grades 7 through 9. 

Hill is enthusiastic about this year’s program, saying: “We’re thrilled to be able to offer this to a new demographic. We’re growing already and are very excited about that. The eventual plan is to open a third week, available for grades 3-6. We know that there are creative writers of all ages at all levels of ability, and that is something which we want to help them enjoy, grow their skills, and meet like-minded friends no matter what grade they’re in.”

Each Student who attends receives a journal, materials, and “all manner of swag.” The ability to type is not required. “However they write best is their prerogative,” Hill says. “Participants can expect to enjoy a beautiful campus, to spend a week writing, to meet other students from other schools to build community with, and high-quality instruction.” 

Every instructor is a writer themselves and an expert in their own right. Meals are also provided. The average day runs from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. and the camp does not go overnight. Registration is $100. Students may apply for a partial need-based fee reduction if eligible. This year, the camp for (rising) grades 7-9 will be held June 24-28. For (rising) grades 10-12, the camp will be June 17-21. 

There are 24 seats available each week. Students need to provide a writing sample of an original piece during their application. It is not required that it is a new piece but it should demonstrate their perspective. 

For inquiries and registration follow this link on Wittenberg’s website: Champion City Write Now | Wittenberg University 

To be considered, applicants should submit a short original writing sample of their best work. Applications are due by April 30, 2024, but will be considered on a rolling basis until all spots are filled. Candidates will be notified of their acceptance by May 28, 2024.