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Though the school year has yet to officially begin, there’s no reason why the youth of Winchester and elsewhere should wait to learn and explore their writing talents. 

Why We Write Inc., a 501(c)(c) nonprofit organization, has hosted 2024 Inkspire summer writing camps in both Lexington and Winchester. 

The latter occurred from July 29th through August 2nd at Central Baptist Church on 101 W. Lexington Avenue. 

“The kids love camp!” said Why We Write, Inc. Executive Director Jacqueline Kohl. “The parents [are] saying, ‘This is our kids’ favorite camp. I would never have believed that a writing camp was my kid’s favorite camp.’” 

The idea of a writing camp dedicated to serving Kentucky and Appalachia with a focus on writing, listening, and giving gratitude began over a decade ago. 

“About 12 years ago, I realized that kids had a mindset of hating writing. They found it difficult or [had] writer’s block, and they didn’t enjoy it,” Kohl said. “I thought, ‘You know, I want to change that. I want kids to see the value of written communication.’” 

Winchester – where writing camp first took place before its positive reputation led to further development – featured 37 different writers last week, ranging a wide variety of ages. 

Among many topics they discussed was poetry. 

“The kids learned to understand the value of words. We believe that poetry is the foundation for really teaching all other kinds of writing in terms of understanding [that] words come together,” Kohl said. “Poetry is fun because you can break the rules. You don’t have to worry about punctuation…you can have a phrase as a line, so the kids get to be a little edgy.” 

Kohl also mentioned that teachers – which included her and several other volunteers – taught terminology such as alliteration, metaphors, similes, and more. 

Each year, the writing camps feature a new theme. 

While past camps have featured a variety of themes, including food, this year’s theme was “on cloud nine.” 

Thus, the emphasis was on what makes individuals happy. 

Several guest speakers from different fields spoke to the youth throughout the week. 

Among them were Sgt. Monty Corbett of the Winchester Police Department, WKYT meteorologist and reporter Alexa Minton, and Richmond Mayor Robert Blythe. 

After speaking and engaging with the students for approximately 45 minutes, Blythe—who acknowledged using cursive writing on a regular basis—offered some insights. 

“Let me encourage you to write cursive…it would help,” said Blythe. 

A former educator, he also sought to impart different wisdom to students. 

“[It’s important [when] you realize that somebody sees you,” he said. “If you enjoy what you’re doing, you will never work a day in your life.” 

Hearing people from different fields speak allows students to understand the relevance of writing in various ways. 

Plus, says Kohl, it encourages writers to develop their skills further. 

“I tell kids…you’ve got to be able to communicate your dreams, your ideas, [and] your philosophies to other people,” she said, referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as an excellent writer. “He was a great writer, and now we can read it generation after generation.” 

As stated by one student, sixth-grader Raelynn Atwood, the experience is worthwhile. 

“Try your best because writing makes you express yourself, and it’s fun,” she said.