From June 2-5, Stiles MS was buzzing with activity as 6th-12th grade LISD students attended the district’s 19th annual Young Writers Camp. 

During the camp, students engaged with each step of the writing process to produce a piece of writing on a topic and in a genre of choice. Along the way, students also analyzed and emulated mentor texts, practiced writing strategies and techniques, and benefited from feedback from multiple sources. 

Students had different reasons for attending the camp, but many decided to spend a week of their summer break preparing themselves for the future. Dorian Kocheisen, a rising junior at Leander High School, joined the camp to learn writing strategies for college essays. “My future goal is to go into business, and this camp really helped me learn the tools I need to make my writing better,” Kocheisen said. 

Kocheisen’s brother, Karsten Kocheisen, a rising 8th grader at Running Brushy Middle School, also attended the camp. Although he admits writing is not his favorite, the camp helped him develop his skills further and enjoy the writing process. “The camp helped me learn strategies to brainstorm and structure everything to write a good story,” Karsten Kocheisen said. “Like my brother, I wanted to learn how to write good essays to get into a good college.” 

Cody Edwards, LISD secondary ELA curriculum specialist, says it’s up to each individual student to decide what they want to get out of the camp. “This camp provides agency to students by giving them choice and providing strategies, resources, expert guidance, and valuable feedback throughout the entire writing process to help them achieve their writing goals,” Edwards said. “This low-stakes environment can help students feel success and build their aptitudes and attitudes toward writing which they then can carry with them into the next school year and beyond.” 

While at the camp, the students enjoy instruction from writing teachers who are graduates of advanced writing institutes, ensuring a complete and holistic camp experience. “These LISD teachers go above and beyond to provide a fantastic student experience,” Edwards said. “The pedagogy and strategies provided are research-based, designed to help students express themselves more effectively, and are transferable to other contexts and content areas.” 

In its 19th year, the Young Writers Camps has seen thousands of students improve their writing skills in just one week. Like the Kocheisen brothers, several rounds of siblings have made attending the camp a family affair, with younger siblings attending with or after their older siblings. Next year, the camp will celebrate its 20th anniversary serving the young writers of Leander ISD. 

Stay up to date with LISD summer camps here.