The middle school Writing Mentor Program is off to a great start this year. Created last year, the program has expanded a good deal since its inception and currently includes 18 upper school mentors selected via teacher recommendations and personal interviews. One of the most interesting aspects of the program is that it is driven by middle school students who want to improve their writing, rather than parental involvement.

In order to be considered for the program, students in Gr. 6-8 must send an e-mail explaining why they want to join to program director Patricia Lai, Gr. 8 English teacher. Upon being selected, middle school students work on a variety of topics including personal narratives, short persuasive essays, descriptive essays and expository paragraphs, depending on their individual needs.

Rather than being remedial, Lai states that this program “provides enrichment opportunities for students wanting to improve their writing skills.” When asked about the benefits of the program, mentor Timothy Chou, Gr. 11, commented that he believes “having good writing skills can vastly improve one’s life by helping one express ideas in a clearer way.”