• CREATIVE WRITING DEPARTMENT

     

    The HSPVA Creative Writing Department began in the fall of 2011 with 14 freshmen. The program will add a class of students each year, growing to a program of about 60 students in 2016. Our key areas of study include short story writing, poetry, and dramatic writing. To enhance their work, the students also take courses in acting, digital storytelling, and publishing and editing.
     
     
    Mission Statement
    The mission of HSPVA’s Creative Writing Department is to give students a strong foundation of writing craft and literary history so that they can develop their unique voices.  Additionally, we aim to give students the skills they need to produce and publish their work using technology, performance, or traditional pen and paper, all while nurturing an appreciation for the arts in all its forms. We give students the space to work independently and collaboratively, allowing them to develop skills that help them become productive, responsible citizens at HSPVA and beyond.
     
     
    Creative Writing Department Philosophy
    The philosophy of the Creative Writing Program is to provide a program that
    • Teaches the craft of writing and encourages creative thinking;
    • Expects students to write in a variety of genres as they develop their voices;
    • Enhances the students’ abilities to think critically about a piece of writing;
    • Studies writing throughout history in order to expand their own writing;
    • Provides a safe environment in which the students can develop their talent;
    • Requires integrity and honesty in their work and in communication with each others;
    • Teaches and expects responsibility and high moral conduct;
    • Reminds students to go out and notice the world so that they can use it brilliantly in their work, allowing the program to grow as it produces students who are creative, conscientious, and productive members of the community.