Liana Star, Grade 12
UWC Mostar

I was recruited into Creative Writing CAS in an odd way. I was preparing for bed in September when someone was suddenly knocking on my door. It was one of my Dutch second years, she started the conversation with, “so I heard you like to write?” She was asking if I had any interest in joining the Creative Writing CAS. She explained that without more members, it unfortunately would need to be shut down. I agreed to join the CAS, and I even recruited my best friend to join as well. I have since inherited the Creative Writing CAS from my second years, and I will continue to lead it into the next school year. Shortly after joining the CAS, I also got the opportunity to write a piece for UWC International. This was an article focused on UWC and my experiences within my first month at UWCiM. In the article published by UWC International, I wrote, “Although UWC as a movement focuses on education, most of our learning isn’t done in a classroom. We find those moments of clarity in the middle of the night in comfortable silence with our peers. Or at our favorite cafe over a cup of much needed coffee.” Eleven months later I still find this statement to be true, a fact which I like about this piece. This article being published allowed for me to develop my power of narration from the perspective of myself, compared to how I usually write about characters or people whose experiences I do not or cannot relate to. Creative Writing CAS has allowed me to explore new writing styles such as letters, scripts, and diary entries. These different formats crafted and added a new layer to my writing capabilities and comforts. I find Creative Writing CAS specifically engaging because I am able to complete a task which I adore (writing) while bonding and collaborating with my peers. It has allowed me to become more confident in my authorial abilities and choices while exploring them in a space where I know my writing won’t be judged. My articulation skills have also greatly improved since beginning my time in this CAS, due to the fact that each week I am tasked with adequately responding to an unpredictable prompt. We meet once a week and it is honestly often the highlight of my week. We prepare tea as we sit down together. From there the leaders provide a prompt and we spend the rest of the hour-long session writing as much as we possibly can. Everyone interprets the prompts entirely differently, leading to interesting creations. As the new leader of this CAS, I aim to provide students with an environment in which they can creatively express themselves, while also honing their skills. I would also like to have a variety of skill levels within this CAS. Having advanced and new writers will allow for the CAS to cater to different skill levels and also obtain more diversity. In this sense Creative Writing CAS mirrors value present at the core of UWC and its mission.