by Maeve O'Connell (8th)

You may be aware of the high school’s Writing Fellows program, where students can visit the Writing Center for help with their writing. Have you ever wondered if you could get help on your piece? This time, you might not have to go to a teacher but to a peer instead. That’s exactly what Junior Writing Fellows is for! This program, run by Mrs. Thornton and Mrs. Maurer, allows your peers to assist you with your writing assignments.

It doesn’t matter what kind of writing it is—TDA, opinion, creative, or speeches—the Writing Fellow helping you will be well-versed in all of these categories.

The high school has a similar program called Writing Fellows, and Mrs. Maurer and Mrs. Thornton have introduced Junior Writing Fellows as the middle school equivalent. The goal is for students to visit Room 322—Mrs. Maurer’s room—for writing help. This mirrors the high school’s program, where students go to the Writing Center. Since we don’t have a designated space like that, Room 322 serves as our base of operations.

The reason this program focuses on students helping their peers is that it benefits both the writer and the Writing Fellow. Writing Fellows gain a better understanding of how to assist others with writing and develop tutoring skills. Meanwhile, students receiving help gain a fresh perspective on their work. Advice from a peer might help them see their writing differently and make the process easier.

We hope that this currently fledgling activity will grow into a widely known program as Junior Writing Fellows solidifies its place among CMS’s many tutoring and assistance programs.