The English department at North Dakota State University is hosting its sixth annual Teen Creative Writing Camp. It is open to students entering grades 7-12, regardless of their skill level or location. The camp aims to highlight artistic voices of all cultures, religions, genders, and abilities, and welcomes everyone to find a place to belong. The director of the camp, Jamee Larson, a senior lecturer at NDSU, created the camp to give students an opportunity to find their voices and explore their identity as writers. The camp offers two sessions: Session one will take place from June 24 to 28, and session two will be held from August 5 to 9. Both sessions will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
The camp offers daily sessions on fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, fantasy, screenwriting, songwriting, and graphic novels. Professional writers and educators from NDSU, North Dakota State College of Science, and the University of North Dakota will provide instruction. The camp will culminate in a public reading.
One camper, Tehya Gag, said, “I’ve been writing down my stories for several years now and was super excited to attend creative writing camp. Over the week I had so much fun and was able to get advice and hear tips from authors, poets, and professors of all sorts. The information was super helpful, and I’ve been able to come away with new friends, fun memories, very useful notes, and significant improvement in my writing skill.”
The cost for an in-person session on campus is $230, which includes all supplies, a camp t-shirt, prize drawings, meals, and snacks. The cost to attend virtually is $180. This year, a camp for students in grades 4-6 will also be available on June 17 through 20, from 9 a.m. to noon each day, with a cost of $100 for both in-person and virtual attendance.
Larson said, “We all have that nasty inner critic inside of us that tells us we can’t do something or that we are no good. For some, that voice prevents new experiences, like art. I have developed these camps in an effort to help these kids find and nurture the kind of unrestrained belief in their creative instincts that they enjoyed as young children.”
Limited full and half scholarships are available. Visit the camp website to register.