Massapequa High School’s College Essay Night Workshop program was recently named a 2015 Program of Excellence by the New York State English Council (NYSEC). The award recognizes programs that are unique and effective, and enrich English Language Arts instruction by offering creative opportunities to students and staff. The honor was presented at the council’s annual conference in Albany to members of Massapequa High School’s English department.
“This award is a testament to the ingenuity and talent of our English teaching staff, which has worked so hard to deliver a program that greatly impacts the way students express themselves, not only to college admissions officers, but to those they encounter throughout college and into their careers,” said Kevin Harrington, the district’s K-12 curriculum associate for English. “We are proud of their achievements as well as what our students have accomplished by participating in the program.”
The College Essay Night Workshop is offered to students and their parents/guardians in both the fall and spring semesters to help students discover their voices and creatively mine their pasts for the purpose of writing effective college admissions essays. Brainstorming activities assist them in finding a meaningful essay topic, and they learn how to apply all the steps of the writing process as they choose topics, develop their personal essays and provide insightful reflections to end their essays.
In addition to experiencing a variety of strategies for producing these essays, several successful essay models are presented. They also learn the key components of the college essay, what colleges are looking for in these essays, and how to write an essay that will not only assist them in getting into college but also be significant to them and their lives.
—Submitted by Massapequa Public Schools
