Two students won awards for their writing in a statewide competition at the annual writing workshops at Lewis University in Romeoville.
“Kaylyn Pryor placed first in Poetry and Alan Sanchez received an honorable mention in Descriptive Sketching,” Julie Banholzer, creative writing club sponsor, said.
Both were honored to earn recognition.
“I was proud that I had this story I had been holding onto for so long waiting for it to be used. To have refined it and have it featured in the festival was surreal,” senior Alan Sanchez said.
In addition to the competition, students spend a few hours of the school day listening to writing lectures by guest speakers and providing answers to various prompts given by writing professors.
“Officially one of the most memorable parts of being at the university was realizing that one day, very soon, I’ll be in a similar place on my own,” senior Jasper Dolude said.
A main reason for the trips to writing workshops is to not only allow the members to grow their writing talents on their own merits, but also to provide a much bigger outlet to express creativity.
“When I was working as an English teacher, I really wanted to connect with students outside of the classroom,” Banholzer said. “At first, the club was just about putting together a magazine, but I started to notice that students needed more—a space to write, share, and just be creative together.”
The average member of creative writing club has a lot to offer in terms of sharing projects, but also in terms of the growth of their writing. This consists of developing different writing styles and structure and discovering what genre of story a member prefers to write in their freetime.
“I mostly enjoy writing fantasy and horror/suspense,” junior Miki Velasquez said. “I haven’t written a fully drawn out story or book in years so I typically write short stories with cliffhangers that have lots of descriptions in them.”
While one member can find joy in crafting short stories and poems with varying length, another member can also be focused on other aspects of the club. While one member could be focused on improving the way their stories are structured, another member can focus on developing a consistent writing schedule.
“I’d love to develop a routine eventually,” junior Suin Jung said. “I think writing with calm music in the background or finding my cozy space might help me stay more consistent.”
Developing a personal writing routine, although not the priority of the club, is important when it comes to presenting stories and other forms of writing in the meetings. The support and feedback from peers can also play a big role in staying motivated.
“I enjoy being able to share my writing with my peers,” senior Holly Winiars said. “It’s very rewarding to get good feedback and to give other people suggestions for their own stories.”
Beyond the support of peers, the writing that takes place inside and out of the meetings begins to show growth in the writer. When it comes to presenting the written works, Banholzer is usually the first to witness the growth of the writer.
“Every year, I’m genuinely amazed by the talent and creativity that Central students bring to the table,” Banholzer said. “It’s such a privilege to watch them grow over their four years here—not just as writers finding their unique voice, but as individuals maturing and coming into their own.”