A series exploring the power of words

Name: Emma Zawacki Grade: 11 1. What prompted you to start writing? "The first time I ever wrote anything for fun and genuinely enjoyed it was [in] eighth grade. [Eighth grade English teacher] Dieffenbach gave us a year-long assignment to write a story on whatever we wanted, and she would print them out as a book, and we could keep them. Since then, I haven't been able to stop. I write when I'...

Name: Linus Kaechele Grade: 12 Position on staff: Managing Editor of Online Assignments 1. What drew you to writing? “Originally, it was the secrecy and intimacy of writing letters. Before I joined TCT and before I got really into more personal essays or column or poem-type [stories], I was super into writing letters. That started sophomore year because of [senior] Abby Wright. Before that...

Name: Lauren Batterbee Grade: 11 Position on staff: Print Managing Editor 1. What does using your words entail? "I spend a lot of time on my writing, and a lot of half-started columns, editorials, and short stories sit collecting dust in my google drive folders. I really want my writing to be good because I know at least seven people will read it. If I can’t get the right words down, I...

Name: Abby Wright Grade: 12 Position: Editor in Chief 1. What do words mean to you? “They mean a lot to me because writing has always been the one thing that I can do—that I am good at. I’ve never really been that good at sports or school or anything of that nature, so I’ve kind of latched on to the ability to write and ran with it. Words to me are just something that I know how to us...