Creative Writing is among one of the many electives that is offered at Dakota. Many students who took the class have not done much creative writing in their lives, but all of the students create equally intriguing pieces of writing. I went to the class, which is taught by Mrs. Sobota, and I spoke with students and Mrs. Sobota. I also collected some pieces from some students in the class.

When I arrived in the classroom at the beginning of third hour, there was a calm feeling in the room. I put a picture up on the board and gave the students around five minutes to write whatever they could think of after seeing the picture. The results were amazing. Enclosed in another piece are a few of the incredible pieces written by some of the Creative Writing students.

I asked Mrs. Sobota a few questions about the Creative Writing program. When asked when the program was started, she said that “I started the program in 1998 when I was first hired as a teacher in the district, but creative writing in general has been a course offering at the high school level prior to 1998. I had to do a little remodeling to get it where it is today, because there was no set curriculum. I am proud to have developed Dakota’s Creative Writing program to where it is today.”

I then asked her why it is important for students to have access to classes such as Creative Writing. She answered that “there are so many required classes that students have to take, and life today involves a lot of pressure. Thus, it’s so important to give young people a time and a space for self-expression and stress relief. I’m a firm believer that creative writing is therapy, and with everything going on in school, society and social media, it’s important to have an outlet. My creative writing students say the exact same thing- they are so glad they took the course because it really does give them a break from strict educational routines and requirements; it enables them to just be themselves and explore what their own imagination and creativity can produce. Most agree that creative writing helped them to better understand themselves.”

I also asked her about her favorite genres of writing, which were historical genres such as autobiographies, biographies, and historical nonfiction. The last question that I asked her was why it is important for people to practice creative writing in their daily lives. She explained how “more people should turn to creative writing because it’s so good, so healthy, to just slow down and reflect; slow down and observe. I think more people should do it because it’s therapeutic. Writing is a great escape and an opportunity to enjoy your imagination and to create something from where there was once nothing. I myself creatively write as a hobby, and therefore I can proclaim from experience that the act of writing is powerful and beneficial, not only for you as the writer, but also for those who will read your pieces.  We each have a story to tell; story telling has a long, rich history. Our stories trigger human connection; creative expression unites us as human beings.”

She concluded our conversation by saying: “everyone could use a little more artistic expression in their life.”