More than 800 K–12 students from across the Greater Houston area traded traditional summer pastimes for notebooks, pens and art supplies as participants in Rice University’s annual Creative Writing Camp. The program is a long-standing collaboration between the School Literacy and Culture program at Rice’s Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies and Writers in the Schools Houston.
For over three decades, the partnership has combined Rice’s research-backed literacy frameworks with the artistic expertise of professional writers from WITS. This summer, the camp operated across three local campuses — Annunciation Orthodox School, Holy Spirit Episcopal School and Rice — offering specialized experiences tailored to different developmental stages.
“Creative Writing Camp is a magical space where imagination, creativity and authentic expression take center stage,” said Heather Loan, School Literacy and Culture assistant director. “When children have the opportunity to learn alongside professional writers in a low student-to-teacher ratio, they feel supported to take creative risks, discover the joy of storytelling and see themselves as writers.
“It’s about helping children find their voice while building their confidence. Our hope is that they leave camp believing in themselves as writers and continue writing long after the summer ends.”
The camp’s curriculum focuses on the “6 Cs” of 21st-century learning: collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, creative innovation and confidence.
For younger campers in grades K-5, the “Just Write It!” experience utilized interactive storytelling, dramatic play and children’s literature to build early language skills. Middle and high school students enrolled in targeted, thematic tracks. In the “Magical Worlds” course, rising sixth- and seventh-graders analyzed worldbuilding techniques in science fiction and fantasy, while older students in “Focus on Fiction: Characters and Conflict” studied advanced narrative structure and participated in peer-review workshops.
With the four weeks of student camps coming to a close in early July, the SLC team is now preparing to welcome early childhood educators for their annual Summer Institute on Reading, Writing and Cultural Connections. In this weeklong institute, educators rethink their reading and writing practices in light of new research trends and gather best practices and classroom ideas for the upcoming school year.
“Summer provides a unique opportunity to recharge while also exploring new ideas and growing as learners,” Loan said. “Whether we’re nurturing a child’s love of writing through Creative Writing Camp or helping educators prepare for a new school year through Summer Institute, our goal is to create meaningful learning experiences that foster growth, strengthen connections and inspire participants to carry that enthusiasm for learning into the year ahead.”
To learn more about Rice’s School Literacy and Culture, visit literacy.rice.edu.