In addition to reviewing sentence structure and stylistic elements, returning students will read essays by master writers, analyzing and imitating their respective styles in a series of response essays of their own. Studying an array of the best American essays from the past century, students will gain exposure to different essay structures and themes ranging from opinion piece to social appeal, from personal essay to literary theodicy. The skill and insight of great authors serves as inspiration for students who are finding their own individual voices. By imitating the sentence structures and essay organization of great authors, students can be empowered to compose their own beautiful, powerful work as they join the larger conversation. This advanced essay course makes a direct bridge for the student between imitating great writing and composing beautiful writing in their own words. Students will also gain practice with timed, in-class writing as well as with the revision and critique process.

To receive the full benefit of the writing camp, students will need sufficient time and a handful of supplies. In addition to the three hours of class time, students should plan to spend another two or three hours each day completing homework. One or two weeks before the start of camp, enrolled students will receive an electronic packet of essays to read in preparation. The reading level of the packet is challenging, so students may want to plan ahead to get the most out of their reading experience. Discussing the reading material with family and friends may also aid comprehension and enjoyment as students head into the camp week.

Students should secure the following supplies before the start of class:

• Dictionary & Thesaurus—Consider apps such as the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and the English Thesaurus.
• Pack of 6 different colored pencils: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, & purple—Preferably erasable!
• Pens/Pencils
• 3-ring binder with 5 or more dividers and lined notebook paper (If you have the binder with handouts from a previous writing camp, please use that!)
• Composition book

Students in the Advanced Essay Writing camp will also need to be able to type, print, and email assignments using a sharable word processing program such as Microsoft Word.