I attended the Juniper Institute for Young Writers for a week this past June. It was an amazing experience for me. I met great, interesting people who I probably would never have met otherwise. Our shared interest in writing created a connection that I'd never experienced previously, since I don't know a lot of writers back home. I explored different genres and styles of writing, and received invaluable, constructive feedback. I was also given the opportunity to listen to readings by accomplished authors, such as Grace Paley. I even spoke with her afterwards. When I heard she'd passed away recently, I felt blessed to have been able to meet her.
My time at Juniper still has a strong influence on me. I learned how to enjoy writing even more, and once I learned how I could improve my work, the results were fantastic. I gained more confidence in myself. I use the skills I've learned when I'm editing articles for the school newspaper or writing an essay for class, and I've continued to write more creative pieces on my own. Also, I loved dorm-living at UMass – the rooms were very comfortable, and I had a lot of fun with my suite-mates!
Rivka Barrett —'07 participant
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