The Writing Nest, a collaborative project between the Jaffrey-Rindge School District and Franklin Pierce University, gets young students interested in literature by showing them how to create their own stories.
On Thursday, students involved with the program got to show off their final products — their own creative writing, turned into a podcast, with art pieces that inspired them — during a student showcase at the Franklin Pierce University campus.
This past semester, Franklin Pierce students worked with Rindge Memorial School fourth and fifth-grade students, and in the spring, will run the same program at Jaffrey Grade School.
Laura Harding, assistant director of recreation at Franklin Pierce University, said the program started three years ago, as part of a literacy-based federal work study program, but was popular enough to continue.
Called the Writing Nest, as a nod to the fact that Jaffrey Grade School, Rindge Memorial School and Franklin Pierce University all have bird-themed mascots, Harding said the project is a way for college students to “give back to their community.”
“It’s really that community service aspect. They really feel good about giving back to students in the community,” Harding said.
The most recent Writing Nest paired four Franklin Pierce University students with 12 Rindge Memorial School students. The students met in a group after school, did a creative activity that served as inspiration for their stories, and eventually selected a story to record in the Franklin Pierce audio studio to preserve as a podcast.
Harding said it’s a way to engage young people with creative writing.
“I think any time you can get a student to write is ideal. I was a teacher for 25 years, and writing is just vital and important,” Harding said. “I think adding the fun aspect, and them not seeing it as a task, it wasn’t anything we ever had to talk them into doing.”
Franklin Pierce junior and elementary education major Liela Irwin has been involved with the program for the past three years, serving as a coordinator.
“What fueled me to do it was seeing the beginning where they started, and seeing where they ended. Their progress throughout,” Irwin said. “They soared. They took what we asked them to do, and they flew with it. It was amazing.”
Irwin helps create the lesson plans and creative activities for students to serve as their writing inspirations. She said, as is typical, students start out a little reticent, but by the end of the first session, are eager to explore.
“They wanted to write and write and write,” Irwin said. “I love building that connection with the students. I love to see their beginning to their end. That’s why I want to be a teacher.”
On Thursday, Dec. 4, computers were set up around the Spagnuolo Hall at Franklin Pierce University, where parents and friends could listen to the podcasts and see the artwork their children had created.
“I think it shows them that learning doesn’t have to be bad. You can use your imagination and be creative. And we’re more than happy to help,” Irwin said.
The podcast with Rindge Memorial School student short stories is available for listening at thewritingnest.podbean.com/.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.