W.R.I.T.E. Club hosted its weekly meeting in preparation for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards in Charlie’s Cottage on Dec. 4.

Throughout the meeting, officers taught students about what the program was, how to participate in the writing competition, and scholarship awards the program offers.

The officers began with a warm-up that analyzed and reviewed a set of SAT writing practice questions. Then, both members and officers participated in a poetry quick-write to practice for the Scholastic writing competition.

Freshman Connor Chen initially joined the club to improve his writing skills. However, after attending W.R.I.T.E. club’s weekly meetings, practicing writing wasn’t the only aspect of the club he appreciated.

“My favorite part about being in this club is the community,” Chen said. “Everyone is very nice and helpful, and when we do the SAT practice questions, we actually go through each question. It’s a good environment.”

According to President and senior David Fang, one of the club’s main goals for the meeting was to encourage participation in the Scholastic competition.

“One of our biggest goals was to have each member submit at least one piece to the competition, and have at least three winners for the entire club, because I truly believe that all of our club members are capable of writing great stories,” Fang said. “Throughout this past year, I’ve seen a lot of them grow, especially in terms of how they use imagery and different figurative devices to enhance their storytelling.”

This was Chen’s first time preparing for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. However, this was not his first time hearing about it.

“I’ve had a lot of friends that have participated in it before and they told me a little bit about it,” Chen said. “Even though I was interested, I didn’t really know much about it. At the meeting, the officers showed us all the guidelines and told us what we should do, giving me a clear starting point on what to write.”

During the meeting, the quick write activity was a unique event that stood out to freshman Mackenzie Franklin.

“I thought the poetry quick-write was the most interesting,” Franklin said. “It was so cool seeing how much people could write under so much pressure in just five minutes.”

Towards the end of the meeting, students and officers discussed their writings and shared constructive feedback. Franklin was particularly impressed by an exemplary story shared by Vice President Andrew Chen.

“I liked how creative it was,” Franklin said. “It was funny at the same time, but also very well written.”

Since joining W.R.I.T.E. Club this year, Franklin said she has grown as a writer by being exposed to different styles and perspectives.

“Being in the club helps me see other people’s writing, and I feel like I’m writing a lot more than I used to,” Franklin said. “It also changed my perspective because I’ve learned it’s okay to take your time.”

For Fang, the overarching message that he hopes students gain from the meeting is to explore their writing creatively and independently.

“Even if some of the members didn’t submit a piece, I hope they are empowered to write on their own and explore different ways of expressing themselves,” Fang said. “One of the biggest takeaways is that they can continue to express themselves through writing and explore the realms of literature, continuing their passions next year and beyond.”

To stay updated about W.R.I.T.E. Club, join its Remind @bhswrite25 and follow its Instagram @bellaire_write_club.