Trips to China. Memoirs of motherhood. The life of a former baton twirler. These are just a few of the stories that Ball State University students have written for a creative writing class that partners students with members of the Muncie community.
Professor Barbara Bogue, who has been at Ball State for 14 years, started the "Writing in the Community" class in 2002. It is required for all creative writing majors.
The class is designed to teach students how to tell the stories that usually go unheard. The course also incorporates learning about psychology, Muncie history, sociology, social work, linguistics and women's issues into its objectives.
"The students not only come out better writers, but with a better appreciation for the community," Bogue said.
In the class, each student is paired up with an agency and then an individual participant or patient from that agency. The students are required to spend at least five hours outside class with their partner. Muncie organizations such as Hillcroft Services, Motivate Our Minds and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware County provided the Ball State students with their new muses.
"At the beginning of the semester, the students meet one-on-one with their agency partner," Bogue said. "They get to know them first. Then, they decide together what would make the best story."
Tony Settineri, a senior creative writing major, was partnered with an 8-year-old boy from Motivate Our Minds. Together, Jonathan and Tony created a story of their trip through the Earth as they dug their way to China. On the way, they met superheroes and characters from TV that Jonathan was familiar with.
"Jonathan is a pretty cool kid," Settineri said. "At first, we just played games the whole time. One day he told me how he dug to China once. Then we elaborated what we would have done if we had actually gone to China."
Bogue said that working with children also brings out a more childlike side in her students. She also said that retaining this attitude can create a sense of awe of the world that writers should try to maintain.
Paul Tillema, a senior English/creative writing major, was paired with Sydney, a second-grade pupil. After speaking with Sydney, Tillema chose to write a non-fiction story about her recently deceased grandfather.
"When I asked her what she wanted to write about," Tillema said, "she said she wanted to write about family, friends and love."
Liz Cawley-Combs, a creative writing and Japanese major, was paired with Hillcroft Services, which helps patients with mental disabilities by providing group homes, employment and other services. Combs told the story of Jackie, a 52-year-old woman and mother of two.
"She is very much a mother," Combs said. "We wrote a non-fiction story about her role as a mother and the various stages of motherhood throughout her children's life."
Combs' story was made up of small vignettes and scenes from Jackie's memory. Combs said she learned a great deal from the project.
"This project definitely takes you out of your comfort zone," Combs said. "I learned how to write about things that I wouldn't normally write about and associate with someone I would not associate."
After the students finished their stories, they put them together into a book that is the product of a semester's worth of work.
"The students this semester have written marvelous stories," Bogue said. "Every year I wonder 'How can it top last year's work?' This year, the students have surprised me again."
The class will present their compositions from 6:30 to 8 tonight at the Cornerstone Center for the Arts in downtown Muncie. Representatives from each organization and subjects from the stories will attend.
"I would hope and encourage people to come," Bogue said. "It would give students the chance to discover a beautiful theater in Muncie and meet some interesting people from the community."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
