Write On Offers Writing Camp for Teen Girls

Girls ages 13 to 18 have the unique opportunity to “Camp Out, Write On,” Aug. 1-3. Along the shorelines of Newport State Park, girls will hike, swim, tell campfire stories, read and write. Led by educators Vinni Chomeau and Ann Heyse, the program is offered by Write On, Door County. Thanks to the generosity of several donors, including a grant from the Women’s Fund of Door County, Write On has been able to waive the original $225 tuition. There is now a registration fee of $75 for the full program, or $50 for one-night participation.

A variety of nature experience will be combined with writing sessions. “We’ve planned writing sessions in poetry, fiction and other forms of narrative,” stated Heyse, a recently retired high school English teacher. “But our curriculum is open. We also want the girls just to have fun, too.”

Heyse spent several summers co-leading classes set in wilderness experiences. “They were life-changing weeks for our students,” Heyse said. “Our culture gives kids very little quiet time to think and reflect. Combine time in nature with time to write and our participants can expect a pretty phenomenal experience.”

Chomeau, Friends of Gibraltar (FOG) school coordinator, comes to the program with a rich background in outdoor education. Prior to FOG, she worked as a teacher and wilderness guide for the Audubon Residential Environmental Learning Center in Sandstone, Minnesota, and at Team Leadership Center in Door County.

For those participants who may not be able to spend both nights, special arrangements for a one-night stay can be made. Due to the amount of individual attention each student will receive, class is limited to 10 participants. For more information or to register, visit writeondoorcounty.org or call 920.868.1457.