South Bend Community School Corporation high school students are taking part in “574 Stories” this week and next Monday, June 27. Each of the 12 students in the inaugural cohort was nominated by their respective English teachers.
“574 Stories” is a five-day intensive creative writing workshop that aims to empower young South Bend writers to turn personal and family stories into works of literature. The program, in collaboration with the district’s Curriculum and Instruction Department, is housed at Adams High School and includes field trips throughout the city, the Saint Joseph County Public Library’s Studio 304, and local landmarks.
The workshop is invested in promoting diverse voices and perspectives on life in South Bend with the belief that storytelling is one of the most powerful means of fostering genuine relationships with, and empathy for, those we perceive to be different from ourselves.
Each day of the program, students will be introduced to works of literature by a diverse range of authors whose writing focuses on themes of community, home, family, and growing up. Through imitative writing exercises in response to the readings, students experiment with writing and storytelling practices.
What: “574 Stories” Creative Writing Workshop
When: Tuesday, June 21 - Friday, June 24 & Monday, June 27
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Where: Adams High School
808 S Twyckenham Dr., South Bend, IN 46615
Students will contribute written work and photography to an anthology to be launched at a public event on Friday, September 23.
The workshop was developed and will be led by University of Notre Dame Professor David Griffith. For over 20 years, Griffith has been teaching creative writing classes and developing enrichment programs for youth. He is formerly the Chair of Creative Writing at the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts and Director of Creative Writing at Interlochen Arts Academy and Arts Camp in Michigan.
Contact: Monica Garvey, Assistant Director of Communications, [email protected], 574.850.4760