(November 22, 2009) — A new creative writing class offered this year provides Clark students with an opportunity to explore writing techniques. Fifty students in the two classes have written short stories and responses to a range of subjects. Creative writing is already offered throughout GUSD high schools. According to English teacher Carol Pettegrew, creative writing was added for one semester to Clark with the approval of English teachers and because Clark lacks a variety of elective options. The main focus of the creative writing class is to expand students’ fictitious writing skills that are otherwise not put to use in standard English classes. English teacher Maral Guarino said that this class “provides students who enjoy creative writing an opportunity to write in a less structured environment.” Creative writing students discuss important literacy devices and their uses such as satire and irony. Guarino stated that her class this semester is geared toward what students themselves enjoy writing. Jessica Dutton, a junior in Guarino’s creative writing class, commented that she enjoyed this class because she got a chance to write in different styles, such as short stories, as opposed to the general writing done in other classes. Both Pettegrew and Guarino’s classes meet during third period, so the classes are occasionally combined. They both said that an enjoyable experience they shared was reading student work together in the auditoria. Pettegrew added that it was a good chance for students to hear from others outside their class. During second semester, Guarino will teach modern poetry. Students will read work by different poets, and students will also write their own poetry. At the end of the year, they will put together a poetry book as a class. Pettegrew’s second semester class will change to drama, in which students will write and study play writing and play production.