owp05

(#4) Dear Students....

Dear Students,

I’m so excited to share with you my experience this summer at the Oregon Writing Project (OWP). I had the opportunity to meet with 22 educators for four weeks, focusing on the art of writing. Each of us presented a lesson to the group. This was much harder for me than you would think, since talking in front of other teachers is a bit hard for me. Also, you might be interested to know that I was placed in the role of student, having to challenge myself in my own writing, which I’ve never done before. I also wanted to let you in on some of the exciting things we’ll be doing in class this year as a direct result of my time spent at OWP.

(#3) The Strong Arm of a Father

By:  Sharon Orme

The young woman sat peacefully, still as the early morning, marveling at the serenity of witnessing the slow rise of the sun over the tallest trees by the river. A sense of calm spread over her just waking mind and body.

She savored the feeling of knowing there was nothing more that needed to be done. The guests had enjoyed the evening under the stars, laughing by the river as they cozied next to the bonfire, lovingly commenting on the day’s events. The gifts were all tucked away, the champagne glasses packed for the shipment back to the warehouse, the rolling lawns and flowerbeds cleared of the festive debris. There was nothing left to do but wait for the guests to awaken.

As she let her mind wonder, she found that her thoughts kept straying to her father. The day before he had walked his little girl down the aisle, proudly and quietly making his way through the small crowd that had gathered by the river. The woman knew that her father felt as though he were breaking off a piece of himself that day, handing it over to the man who awaited them at the end of their walk. Holding tight to the memories, she grasped the strong arm of the man who’d been by her side throughout her life.

(#2) My Childhood Memory

By: Sharon Orme

       There comes a time in every young person's life when a choice must be made....to spell or not to spell.  I was confronted with this choice during the height of my elementary school years, which coincided with the peak of my shyness.  I won the school wide spelling bee, which would cast me into the limelight at the district competition.

(#1) The Most Exciting Thing I’ve Done

By:  Sharon Orme

I wouldn’t classify myself as a daredevil. In fact, I’d say I’m just the opposite. I tend to be overly cautious and only make decisions after having given them much thought. I suppose I must have been bored with this way of living, because for once I made a snap decision that wound me up in a rickety old airplane about 10,000 feet above the ground.