Yesterday, SCATS 2012 was lucky enough to have author Jennifer Bradbury speak with our campers. Several days prior to her arrival, the campers were given one of her two books: Shift and
Wrapped. Many of the campers had already finished these books prior to Wednesday, an amazing feat considering these campers are kept very busy throughout the duration of SCATS. As a result, many of the campers were eager to interrogate Mrs. Bradbury. As a counselor, I was impressed with the depth of the questions asked. One of my own campers David, who finished his book very quickly, asked Mrs. Bradbury, “If Wrapped was made into a movie, which parts would you be comfortable leaving out?” Other questions asked included, “What inspired you to write?” and “How long did it take to write your first book?” all of which Mrs. Bradbury answered. It was evident by the campers’ questions that each and every one has unique aspirations, some of which pertain directly to the field of writing, some of which do not. Many campers addressed Mrs. Bradbury’s own writing strategies directly in order to determine how they could overcome writers block and how they could better pace their own works.
It is refreshing to see a younger age group embrace the intricacies of writing. As a child making my way through elementary and middle school, writing was something that frightened me, something that I only did when I was forced. However, as I made my way into high school and now college, it has dawned on me that writing will never go away. Like adding and subtracting, writing is an essential skill, one that is present in every profession. A generation of young people passionate about writing, passionate about their ideas, and passionate about having their voices heard is truly great news for the future.