Fostering Collaboration Among Baltimore's Literary Community
Transformation:
Take a gander at Baltimore's City College, a top-notch public high school, where you'll find 17-year-old Diamond Abrams, frequently mistaken for a college undergrad. "Sometimes I tell folks from out of town, 'I go to City College,'" she laughs, "and they're like, 'Oh, you're in college?' I'm like, 'No, no, I'm in 12th grade.' They can't fathom it."
Once a week, however, Abrams does partake in a college course, Creative Writing and Social Engagement, hosted by Johns Hopkins University's Writing Seminars. This class, one of many offerings from the Writers in Baltimore Schools (WBS) initiative, empowers Baltimore City Public Schools students to thrive as artists and future college students.
"We love hanging out with the Hopkins students," Abrams says. "We get to stroll around Hopkins, experiencing college life. It definitely helps me envision my college years."
Though WBS and Johns Hopkins didn't formally collaborate until 2016, the program was kickstarted by Writing Seminars alum Patrice Hutton in 2008. Having attended the Iowa Young Writers' Studio in high school and other creative writing programs, Hutton witnessed the profound impact of belonging to a writing community and established that environment for Baltimore students.
Fed up with the educational constraints imposed by No Child Left Behind, Hutton launched WBS with a community fellowship, recruiting volunteer instructors and expanding to additional schools. By 2012, WBS introduced a one-week summer writing retreat for high schoolers.
Professor Dora Malech, a newcomer to both Johns Hopkins and Baltimore, initiated the WBS-Johns Hopkins partnership in 2014. Excited by WBS's projects and seeking connections in the literary community, she reached out to Hutton and jumped in headfirst.
In 2016, WBS and Hopkins joined forces for their inaugural Community-Based Learning course, Poetry and Social Justice, ushering high school students onto campus for the first time. Six years later, this tradition continues, with two such courses offered each year: Creative Writing and Social Engagement, and Teaching Creative Writing in Baltimore Schools.
Assistant professor Lysley Tenorio oversees the Creative Writing and Social Engagement course. The most rewarding aspect for him? "They genuinely love writing, putting in the effort to attend these sessions. It's heartwarming."
Many students participating in the course aren't Writing Seminars majors but rather seek community connections beyond campus. Maryam Amosu, a neuroscience graduate, elaborates, "Being able to work with high school students on something I love—writing—seemed like a perfect opportunity."
Those seeking a more immersive experience can join Teaching Creative Writing in Baltimore Schools, which invites students to design their own curricula, manage classroom discussions, and journal about their experiences. "It's been incredible to see students blossom as writers and people," shares recent graduate Madison Epner, a WBS regular. "The program readied me for the next step in life."
Posted in The Hive (A&C), From the Secret Lab
Tagged The Scribes, Education
- Student life at Baltimore's City College is not just about academics, but also includes participating in innovation-driven programs like Writers in Baltimore Schools (WBS), which provides education-and-self-development opportunities through courses like Creative Writing and Social Engagement, helping students envision their college years and thrive as artists.
- The Writers in Baltimore Schools (WBS) initiative, a community-based program that started in 2008, fosters a lifestyle conducive to education-and-self-development by offering college-level courses to Baltimore City Public Schools students, nurturing future college students and promoting innovation in student life.
