Why Writing Is Fundamental for High School Curriculums by Kaytlyn

Why Writing Is Fundamental for High School Curriculums by Kaytlyn - August 2015 Scholarship Essay

If I could add a subject to the American high school curriculum, I would add a required creative writing class. I think that this class is so important because it holds a versatile range of benefits that are essential to the young American of today’s society. Creative writing is vital to the high school students of today no matter what their career is going to be. It gives them the opportunity to exercise creative thinking and problem solving skills they aren’t used to using, and rounds out personalities by having the students approach one idea in many different ways. A creative writing class also has more practical skills to hone, like an improved vocabulary, organization skills and the ability to give (and more importantly take) constructive criticism. Creative writing also has interesting health benefits. Studies have shown that creative writing as simple as blogging has impressive physiological benefits. Expressive writing has been proven to improve memory, sleep and immune cell activity- three areas all teenagers I know could use some help in.

Though many high schools offer elective creative writing classes already, I absolutely believe with utmost conviction that creative writing should be mandatory for graduation. It sounds funny, even to me, to suggest that something as expressive and self-serving as creative writing be demanded of students (particularly those in high school), but it’s a very important subject. Not only does it improve the students’ personal and future professional lives, but it allots at least one class period a day for them to sit down, take a breath, and take a minute to write expressively and expand upon their thoughts. The addition of this class to a curriculum also creates job opportunities for those who might not have many otherwise, particularly professionals that have majored in English.