New Haven Students Take Literacy to the Stage

Elementary and middle school students showed their passion for writing Wednesday night.

Held at the James Logan High School , select students read poems, short stories and essays during “A Celebration of Writing.” Other students had their works displayed in the lobby.

The second annual event was an example of the success of the district’s Writing Workshop, a research-based instructional program incorporated in partnership with Columbia University’s Teachers College, said Scott Pizani, the director of student intervention services at NHUSD.

Implemented four years ago, the program has . 

“The goal is to empower students to become excellent writers and to write about their own thinking and their own life experiences,” Pizani said.

The featured work ranged from playful to serious subject matter. kindergarten student Ethen Freeman gave an autobiographical account in “All About Ethen,” with fourth grader Irvin Garnica’s sharing an imaginative adventure in “My Day With Tom Brady.”

student Andrea Dan and student Nicole Williams took somber turns in their stories. Andrea shared “Godfather’s Elephant,” a personal story about her godfather’s passing and a ceramic elephant keepsake she holds as a reminder of him. Similarly, Nicole's story deals with her coping with her grandfather’s death.

Students weren’t always so enthusiastic about writing, Pizani acknowledged.

“Before, student writing was very formulaic. It was very difficult. They would hesitate and not fully engage in the writing process,” Pizani said. “As we visit classrooms, we see students who love writing, are passionate about it and engage in the writing process.”

Nicole, a seventh grader who enrolled in the district after attending a private elementary school in Fremont, said she didn’t have a strong interest in writing until this year. She credits teacher Sabrina Albright for getting her exciting about

She was asked to write a personal story that included an anecdote and a message for a class assignment, Nicole said. She chose to write about her grandfather, who passed away two years ago due to lung cancer, and her participation in the Relay for Life race.

Nicole’s message? “You don’t let your tragedies overcome you, you overcome them,” she said.

Superintendent Kari McVeigh gave closing statements after the readings and handed out certificates to the students before turning them over to their parents.

“You’re going to change the world with your words,” she said.