PROPOSAL—CoSA WRITING PROGRAM
(Coronado School of the Arts is affiliated with Coronado High School. Interested applicants need not be Coronado residents; rather, the program is open to students county-wide.)
I. MISSION STATEMENT:
To integrate an inter-disciplinary writing arts program within CoSA designed to develop literary expression and practical writing skills; enhance CoSA’s visibility; cultivate unique fundraising opportunities; and assist in showcasing student talent.
II. WRITING IS AN IMPERATIVE LIFE SKILL, AND CREATIVE WRITING ENHANCES TRADITIONAL ENGLISH COMPOSITION AND GRAMMAR BY ENCOURAGING PERSONAL AND EDUCATIONAL GROWTH.
Creative writing employs the concepts of composition and grammar, the cornerstones for any writer. In addition, such courses help the student grow more discerning of themselves and their world by deciphering one’s individualized style/voice/tone; selecting a particular point of view; employing specific literary techniques; advocating a position and effectively persuading an audience; conducting ample research; and adhering to a basic code of responsibility and discipline. Therefore, creative writing extends beyond the basic tenets of grammar: it is writing with artful choices in mind, ones that make each student and story dimensional and unique.
III. A COSA WRITING CURRICULUM WOULD ATTRACT AND INSPIRE BOTH TECHNICAL AND CREATIVE WRITERS, SATISFY REGIONAL DEMAND, AND PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES.
A. Regional Demand
To my knowledge, this program would the first of its kind in any high school arts curriculum in San Diego County. Since Coronado High School is a public school and the affiliated CoSA program accepts students applications county-wide, it could have significant appeal.
B. Technical and Creative Writing Disciplines
Many areas of study could be offered within a CoSA writing program, including but not limited to: fiction; screenwriting (see below); playwriting; poetry; technical writing (web writing, business/marketing, grant writing, etc.); journalism; speechwriting; and editing.
Beyond content related education, practical lessons could include generalized writing advice such as: conference preparation; formatting and submission assistance; landing an agent; understanding the evolving publishing world; navigating Hollywood script readers; self-publishing considerations; and obtaining freelance work.
C. Fundraising Opportunities
To offset costs, fundraising opportunities might include: an annual film festival (see below); a published anthology of student work available for sale; and a yearly writers’ conference open to and specifically designed for area high school students. Possible partnering opportunities might include Village Theatre, Bay Books, and local agents and publishers.
IV. LAUNCHING AN INTEGRATED AND INTER-DISCIPLINARY SCREENWRITING PROGRAM COULD ROCKET CORONADO HIGH’S COSA ORGANIZATION TO THE FOREFRONT OF NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED HIGH SCHOOL ARTS PROGRAMS.
CoSA writing students could learn the art of screenwriting techniques by both text and example in an inter-disciplinary arena. As the students progress through the program, they would work toward writing original short screenplays. Our filmmakers and technical theatre students could direct/produce the films, our designers could create original costumes, and our thespians could act in the inventive productions. Our artists have skills to visually market the films, and our instrumental music department could be challenged to compose original scores. In addition, the traditional high school curriculum could also be integrated into the program (e.g. our history department could lend support to a film about a particular era; the biology department could assist in an ecological short documentary about grunion runs, etc.). Such a program would draw on the entire student experience. In fact, the students’ cooperative efforts would be an educational “life lesson” in itself.
V. ONCE THE SCREENWRITING PROGRAM IS FIRMLY ESTABLISHED, A CORONADO FILM FESTIVAL COULD BE ORGANIZED TO SHOWCASE EMERGING HIGH SCHOOL TALENT.
What better way to promote and celebrate the accomplishments of the CoSA program than to roll out the “Islander green” carpet at our renovated Village Theatre? In Sundance style, the students would introduce their short films at the festival and then come forward after their films debut to discuss and answer questions about their projects. Attendees/judges would vote for their favorites, and awards would be issued. Assuming the program is a success, we could eventually extend a nationwide invitation to high schools to participate in the festival. Our relative proximity to Los Angeles would attract aspiring film students, as would our unique island setting. We might be able to garner financial or personal support from Hollywood professionals and literary agents, gain extensive publicity for the program, or potentially enter student work into a professional festival.
VI. CONCLUSION
Adding a creative writing program to the CoSA curriculum is economically challenging, but the long term impact a writing program could have on both CoSA and Coronado High School could be significant. A film festival showcasing our collective students’ talent could result in an anticipated yearly tradition for our city; a lasting legacy for our school; distinctive credibility and spirit for our student body; community participation and pride; and limitless financial gain.
