Four Salem State University students are playing a central role in conducting and organizing a statewide New Hampshire writing festival, under the tutelage of the Granite State’s poet laureate, Salem State University Professor Alexandria Peary.
The North Country Young Writers’ Festival will be held virtually May 14-15. Organized in partnership with White Mountains Community College, the free festival is designed for 7th to 12th graders with an interest in creative writing, whether as a career path, college major, or hobby. Most of the festival discussions are free and open to the public, and registration is required by May 12.
The Salem State students are playing a leading role in organizing the statewide festival, while sharing their own expertise in workshops for the audience of young writers. Master’s in English students Brooke Delp, of Beverly, and Miranda Hughes, of Peabody, are conducting workshops on screen writing and flash fiction, respectively. Undergraduate English major Mae Fraser, of Hampton Beach, NH, will work with a University of New Hampshire graduate student to conduct a workshop on processing the COVID-19 pandemic through poetry; and undergraduate English major Jennifer Puzzo, of Peabody, will host a book discussion about the New York Times Bestseller A Curse So Dark and Lonely, as the festival will include a reading and Q&A from the book’s author, Brigid Kemmerer.
New Hampshire Poet Laureate and Salem State University Professor Alexandria Peary said the impetus for this event is to give young people, particularly those in New Hampshire’s norther rural region, access to a writing festival that is free.
“I want to make sure that young people in the northern part of New Hampshire are afforded the same writing opportunities as students elsewhere in the state,” said Peary.
Peary is also giving opportunities to her undergraduate and graduate Salem State students to teach, facilitate, and navigate the inner-workings of creating a days-long literary festival.
“It’s amazing to see the gears turning on such a large-scale event and see Professor Peary work in her role as poet laureate,” said Delp. “I’ve also gotten to network with other professionals in the literary world, including speaking with a professional screen writer for the workshop I’m running.”
Puzzo also sees value in the chance for both herself and the festival’s attendees to connect with seasoned writers. “You don’t always get this opportunity,” she said. “By meeting published authors and talking about their work, students may be inspired to write their own book.”
Above all else, the Salem State students find great meaning in engaging in this event: the chance to give middle and high school students the gifts that writing has given them.
"My hope is that after expressing themselves through writing with these workshops, we’re creating a lasting space that students can return to on their own,” said Hughes. “When I was younger, I thought there was a correct way to write. Going to college has shown me what a variety of voices there are in the literary world, and that all you need to get started are your life experiences. I want students to be empowered with the idea that they belong in the writing realm.”
Fraser also expressed a hope to show students how accessible writing is, particularly through her poetry writing workshop focused on processing the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve been going through the COVID-19 pandemic for over a year, and many of us are still going through a lot,” said Fraser. “I know people who have lost family members, and I see poetry as an outlet for processing thoughts and feelings. You don’t have to be fully invested to write poetry; it can be a tool for anyone to find relief during difficult times.”
As New Hampshire poet laureate, Peary’s motto is “serve to honor,” a variation of “it’s an honor to serve,” which includes making creative writing accessible to all.
The festival is made possible through the support of the Academy of American Poets, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund, and the New Hampshire Humanities Collaborative.
Peary is a 2020 recipient of an Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship in support of her mindful writing workshops for survivors of the opioid crisis and the North Country Young Writers' Festival. During the past year, she has presented over a dozen mindful writing workshops to youth and caregivers in New Hampshire. Peary is also spearheading a sequel to COVID Spring: Granite State Pandemic Poems, offering New Hampshire residents an opportunity to again publish their pandemic experiences. Learn more information about her initiatives here and at @NHPoetLaureate.