In his book On Writing, the prolific novelist Stephen King acknowledged the one thing that terrifies him about the writing process. “The scariest moment is always just before you start,” King wrote.

To help young writers get over any fears and frustration they might have, the College of Education hosted the 4th Annual TCU Writing Camp, welcoming about 80 freshman and sophomore students from Paschal High School in Fort Worth.

Sponsored by the college and its Center for Urban Education, the camp featured TCU education majors providing hands-on help to high schoolers grappling with common challenges, such as crafting a topic sentence and organizing an essay.

“The high school students benefit from this experience since it provides intensive, small-group teaching by TCU students,” says Jan Lacina, professor and education associate dean. “Our goal is to empower those students considered at-risk to see college as a possibility, and to develop a love for reading and writing.”

The TCU students also gain valuable skills, she adds.

“The experience provides teacher candidates the opportunity to interact with lead English teachers and high school students, as well as learn strategies for challenging high school students to critically read, write and think,” she says. “Through this writing camp, TCU students develop a better understanding of the urban school context and the importance of service to our community.”

Daniel Lancaster, who teaches English at Paschal, says that camps help the students solidify their writing skills, but the real value comes in the mentoring relationship they build with TCU students.

“The collaboration is vital to us on many levels,” he adds.