Writing Community
Finding her voice and sharing it with the world is a key part of every GA girl’s experience.
Outside the classroom, a nexus of that expression is Daedalus, the art and literary magazine of Greenwich Academy. For more than three decades, the annual Upper School publication has been a repository and showcase of GA id and creativity, featuring poetry, prose, and all manner of art. While its more than 40 national awards is exciting—from the likes of the National Council of Teachers of English and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association—more impressive is what makes Daedalus stand out among its peers: consistently passionate student leadership year over year, a large and dedicated staff routinely topping 50 (about 15% of the Upper School), a rich schedule of student-run related activities that encourage and promote a culture of writing.
Daedalus culminates in a print product (which includes QR codes linking to spoken word, dance, film, and song), but it is much more than a single volume. Throughout the year editors organize student readings, trips to literary events, visits from writers, as well as an annual Writers Festival.
Writers Festival
What began in 2008 when a single GA editor was inspired by her trip to the Dodge Poetry Festival has evolved into an annual event. Organized by junior Daedalus editors, the February Saturday features readings, workshops, food, talk about writing, more food, more talk about writing. Visiting writers have included poets, novelists, screenwriters, and journalists. Cosponsored with like-minded counterparts at Brunswick School and Sacred Heart Greenwich, the daylong event is open to all area high school students and has drawn as many as 40 participants.
Middle School Writers
Writing in Middle School is all about joy, creativity, exploration, and expression, in all its forms. Students write in order to think more deeply about texts and the world around them. They create new worlds and characters, and see their story ideas all the way to publication. An emphasis on brainstorming, outlining, and the revision process allows students to see their work evolve and raises the level of their writing. Our students learn how to create analytical paragraphs and literary essays, they craft persuasive essays and research papers, and they write poetry and narrative. Signature writing assignments include: fantasy fiction stories in Group V, realistic fiction writing in Group VI, suspense stories in Group VII, and vignettes in Group VIII. Along the way, our students learn that writing doesn’t end with well-constructed sentences. Our girls write speeches and deliver them. They read their stories in their classes and at assemblies. They submit their work to local and state-wide contests. In short, they find their voice, and they learn how to share it. Over the course of their middle school years, our students create and maintain a writing portfolio. This experience encourages them to reflect on their growth as writers and take pride in their hard work and achievement as they begin their new journeys in Upper School.
Visiting Writers
The list of writers who visit GA for assemblies and workshops is long, often illustrious, always exciting. Here are some recent guests.
Courtney Maum
Richard Blanco
Olivia Gatwood
Mona Hayder
Marie Howe
Sarah Kay
Oompa
Eileen Pollack
Spencer Reece
Michael Snediker
Hannah Tinti
Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib