🍁Fall Programming: Spotlight on Write for Impact

Edie Abraham-Macht

In high school, I thought of myself as a good writer. But when I got to Yale, I quickly learned that strong college writing required more than simply churning out the five-paragraph analytical essays I’d mastered during my first 18 years of life. As I worked hard to apply what I knew about writing to a range of new forms—including narrative nonfiction, lengthy research papers, and policy briefs—I wished that my high school had better prepared me for this unfamiliar (and far more exciting) world of writing.

At Kaleidoscope, we know two things for sure: first, that powerful writing is a necessary skill to thrive in college and in life; and second, that it’s a skill schools generally neglect. This is why, this fall, we’re launching Write for Impact, a workshop series teaching strategies for structure and tips for style that will allow students both to master the five-paragraph essay and succeed beyond its confines. 

If you’re a high school student (or have/know one!) who wants to learn to succeed, persuade, or make meaningful change through storytelling, join us this fall on Sundays from 10am-12pm ET (October 9 - November 20) for the Write for Impact workshop series. 

We’ll be working with a small group of students (the series is capped at 12 participants) who are excited about being part of a playful, generative, and collaborative learning community. With our Write for Impact series, you’ll get:

• Insight into the hidden structures of powerful stories—how they shape what you remember and influence what you feel

• Tips on what makes writing impactful on every level, from the building blocks—sentences, paragraphs—to the bigger picture

• The chance to immediately apply everything you learn in weekly assignments, intensively iterating on a draft of a story of your choice

• The opportunity to get creative with your writing rather than sticking to the purely formulaic

• Personalized coaching and feedback on your writing at every stage of the process

I’m excited to work with students on their writing this fall because I know from experience how important it is: in college, the time I invested to figure out what good writing looked like beyond the five-paragraph essay paid off. My writing—both creative and narrative/expository—was published in Yale newspapers and literary magazines; and my poetry in particular was published in off-campus publications including Hanging Loose magazine and Aerie International. 

College also helped me discover that I enjoy coaching others on writing almost as much as I enjoy writing itself: I now have ample experience assisting K-12 students, college students, and adults with writing. I’ve edited poetry for publication, personal essays for college applications, and resumes for job applications—and through it all, I’ve most enjoyed creating communities around storytelling and helping students effectively tell stories that matter to them. I can’t wait to engage in this meaningful work with Kaleidoscope students!

If you’d like to learn more about Write for Impact, check out this page on our site!