WRITING COMPETITIONS:
Congratulations to three of our very own Finch Writing Club members, Grace Li, Brian Baek, Emerson Rever, and Abigael Akselrod, who won a collective gold, three silvers and an honorable mention at the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition!
COLLEGE/SCHOOL:
Best of luck to Finch member, Abigael Akselrod, who was accepted into the University of Iowa — a school that ranks among the top universities in the U.S. for undergraduate writing across the curriculum. Well done Abby!
OTHER:
Finch members, Grace Li & Isabella Phillips were designated speakers at the recent Bernards Township school board meeting to discuss the functional integration of AI in writing.
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Finch Writing Club Hopes to Inspire Young Writers
“BASKING RIDGE, NJ – William Annin language arts teacher Jill Stedronsky has made an incredible discovery over her 18 years of teaching. According to Stedronsky, she found, “every kid loved writing if you let them write about themselves.” For years she dreamed of teaching children to think and write creatively, free of the classroom environment and grades. Together with her daughter, author Mackie Burt, and writer Christian Johnson, she has co-created Finch Writing Club which offers writing workshops to local students after school and on weekends. Stedronsky said that Finch Writing Club, now in its second year, melds all their dreams as writers and described Finch Writing Club as “a beautiful place for kids to realize words are powerful and that writing is enjoyable.” Stedronsky emphasized the power of words as a “healing tool” to help us understand our thoughts, bring clarity and uncover things…”
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Finch Writing Club Aims To Foster A Love For Writing
“BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The Finch Writing Club, founded by a Basking Ridge teacher, her daughter, and a friend, aims to foster a love for writing among students from fourth to twelfth grade.
"We want them to fall in love with it, because once you fall in love with it, then you have it for life," said William Annin Language Arts Teacher Jill Stedronsky to Patch.
Stedronsky started the Finch Writing Club in the summer of 2023 with her daughter Mackie Burt and writer Christian Johnson as an after-school creative writing program/extracurricular for young adults. Through creative writing, their goal is to guide young people to communicate more clearly and honestly with themselves and with each other…”
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Local Homeschool Groups & Resources - Finch Writing Club
“Finch is an out-of-school writing club for young adults. Finch believes in the power of words and the importance of having your own voice. Through creative writing, the goal is to guide people to communicate more clearly and honestly with themselves and with each other. Skills that are immeasurably important in all areas of life – socially, professionally, and humanly – from talking to a friend, to constructing an email, to knowing who you really are.
Workshops are the basis of the writing club.
Hosted in a relaxed space, they offer a place for students to get together, develop their voice through writing, expand their passions and interests, and share with others.”
