FARMINGTON — High school students eager to find a writing community where they can feel at home and hone their craft traveled to Farmington recently to join nearly 70 other aspiring young writers at the University of Maine at Farmington’s annual Longfellow Young Writers’ Camp.
Since 2010, the week-long creative writing camp has attracted rising high school sophomores through rising college freshmen to the UMF campus to work with expert faculty and published authors in workshop style settings. This year’s Longfellow camp enrollment exceeded last year’s by almost 25 percent and included students from 10 Maine counties, 12 states and three different countries.
“I am always so impressed with these young writers. They are fun, but serious about writing and come to Longfellow to work with experts in all genres and be inspired to generate new writing for themselves,” said Lewis Robinson, UMF associate professor of creative writing and Longfellow director.
Workshops in fiction, non-fiction, poetry and screen writing were led by UMF faculty members Amy Neswald and Lewis Robinson, University of New Hampshire Professor Jaed Coffin and UMF alumnae Jocelyn Royalty and Hannah Paige. Visiting writers included Nick Fuller Googins, UMF alumna Zoe Stonetree, Rebecca Turkewitz and Maya Williams.
Student campers reside in campus housing with creative writing camp counselors who also teach mini lessons and a series of activities including nature writing, yoga, sewing, map making and over a dozen electives and nightly events. CC Robinson served as dean of students.
“The written word is so important to young writers and the UMF Longfellow creative writing camp provides our students with the mentorship of professional writers as they continue to develop their personal literary style,” said Robinson.
Hannah Paige, UMF graduate of the class of 2021 and Longfellow’s assistant director, first came to the camp in 2016 as a high school senior searching for a college where she could feel at home as a writer. She has been at Longfellow every year since, serving as a volunteer, a counselor and the assistant director for the last three years.
A writer since a young age, Paige published her first book during her senior year in high school and her second published work while at UMF. She recently had an essay nominated for “The Best American Essays” anthology.
“This program is such a gift. It provides roots for young writers who are hungry for a community of fellow writers where they can create and share their work,” said Paige. “I love my time at Longfellow and my role in helping to create a place for young people to find their voice.”
Paige is currently professor of English at Motlow State Community College in Tennessee where she teaches literature and creative writing and is coordinator of the writing center. She has also launched the Southern Association for Reading Advancement, a non-profit literacy program for rural students.
