Writing Center hosts summer camp for San Marcos High students

Posted by Maria R. Gonzalez
University News Service
April 11, 2007

The Texas State University-San Marcos Writing Center is hosting a two-week creative writing summer camp from June 11-22 for San Marcos High School students, a part of a series of initiatives funded by a G-Force Grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

The summer writing camp will be held at the university’s Writing Center at Flowers Hall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Students who participate in the camp will be under the guidance of Texas State Master of Fine Arts students who will lead workshops in fiction, poetry, prose poetry and screen writing.  Students will also have the opportunity to explore the publishing component in creative writing by crafting a journal in print and online version. The summer camp will also have a public reading at the Katherine Anne Porter House. 

“One of the things the G-Force Grant is supposed to do is reach the underserved,” said Nancy Wilson, Writing Center director. “A lot of students don’t fit because they don’t do well in standardized tests and creative writing is one of those areas that allows for people who think outside the box and who think creatively.”

The creative writing summer camp is a part of several initiatives focused on increasing San Marcos High School student enrollment at Texas State University. Two of these initiatives are a tutoring writing center at San Marcos High School and an ongoing creative writing club held Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the university’s Writing Center.  The Writing Center is also planning to establish a parent workshop held at the San Marcos Public Library that will assist parents of soon to be college students navigate the university system.

 “One of the things Texas State wants is to get more San Marcos High School kids to come to this university,” said Wilson. “Familiarity with this campus and with people on this campus is what this project should be about. We have an amazing creative writing faculty and visiting writers. The summer camp is not only a workshop but it also informs them about what goes on campus.”

 There are 15 spots available for the creative writing summer camp and applications will be taken on a first-come, first-serve basis. The camp is free of charge.  For more information, contact Nancy Wilson at (512) 245-3018.