Day Five: Writing TIme

Another UNCG official visited the camp today named Janet Allard, professor of Theatre and Playwriting.  Plays are another version of telling events, conflicts and descriptions through acting, using vivid characters and colorful scenery on a grand stage.  To demonstrate the power of drama, she asked a volunteer from the audience to pretend he dropped a dollar and the other volunteer would find it and give it back.  Though it was a good performance, it was missing the ideal components of a play such as the conflict, resolution and something extra to make it a show to remember.  After discussing crazy ideas, like car chases and man eating tigers, to improve the scene, a few more students volunteered to be lawyers and a judge, while the rest of the audience were the jury and witnesses.  In a way, it became a mini version of Judge Judy, with people objecting, saying, “Order in the court," lawyers defending their clients and the judge pretending to be using a gavel.  The students were truly using their imaginations to bring the scene to life.

So far, the first week of camp was a huge success.  According to some of the students I interviewed, “the camp is a fun place because we get to meet authors, share our stories and use the computers.”  Another one said “I love the teachers and mentors here.  They explain everything to me, give me tips and websites like VoiceThread, ToonDo and Popplet to help me with my writing.  They’re the best!”  “Awesome! Great! Amazing!” said a trio of friends.  “I get to do things I could never do at home or at school.”  “They should do the camp every year.”  “I feel like I am reaching my expectations and developing my own sense of style.”  Mostly everyone has finished typing their piece while others are half way done.  Just a little more editing and maybe a few illustrations and funny voices to add, but they are excited for next week.  From the words of a first time student, “I can’t wait to come back next year!”