In this program, girls will explore the lyrics of celebrated female songwriters who have used their voices and their words as a means to challenge, inspire and comfort us. We will touch on story and song structure through a diverse catalogue of artists. As writers, we will be seeking the music of our lives, channeling our inner poetess and lyricist. Each writer will curate their own compilation of work influenced by music from the course collection and their own life’s playlist.

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As with all our programs, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer, all feedback is focused on the strengths of the writer, and our unique writing voice will continually grow clearer and stronger, the more it is expressed and encouraged.

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Instructor: Gretchen Cion

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• *Girls includes all gender-expansive youth.

• Enrollment occurs quarterly (our schedule is based on the Acalanes District academic calendar) but tuition is pro-rated depending on the day you register. Because we depend upon tuition to run and sustain our org, we cannot offer refunds once the quarter is underway. That said, if your child doesn't absolutely love their first class, just let us know and we can provide a full refund up to 5 days after the first class. We want your child to choose writing purely for the joy of it!

• Private and homeschooling classes available upon request.

• See Tuition page for details.
  
  For questions or to talk in more depth, contact our Director of Programs, Melissa Quiter.

In an increasingly complex world, this program offers girls a safe space for both introspection and connection, reflecting upon current events while clarifying their hopes, aspirations and personal values. Every week we discuss a collection of carefully curated, female-focused, global news stories, after which girls process their thoughts through self-reflective writing. Girls are encouraged to reflect upon their unique strengths—how they can turn adversity into wisdom and struggles into service, using their "author-ity" and voice as leaders. As a result, it's also great training for the college essay process, empowering girls to tell their story in an authentic way. (Girls who write with us always write exceptional college essays!)

As with all our programs, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer, all feedback is focused on the strengths of the writer, and our unique writing voice will continually grow clearer and stronger, the more it is expressed and encouraged.

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Instructor:  Elizabeth Perlman

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• *Girls includes all gender-expansive youth.

• Enrollment occurs quarterly (our schedule is based on the Acalanes District academic calendar) but tuition is pro-rated depending on the day you register. If your child doesn’t absolutely love their first class, we will provide a full refund. We want your child to choose writing purely for the joy of it!

• Private and homeschooling classes available upon request.

• See Tuition page for details.
  
  For questions or to talk in more depth, contact Elizabeth.

This is our flagship program for high school girls. It is designed to lead girls through a creative process of deepening self-awareness, confidence-building and personal leadership, working from the inside out. Each week builds on the last, with a combination of curriculum-based instruction, writing, speaking, active listening, and group discussion. We explore topics like intuitive development, effective communication, conflict mediation, healthy boundaries, media literacy, body positivity, self-care, self-acceptance, empowered female archetypes, social activism, and feminine paradigms of leadership. Upon completion, girls receive a Certificate for Intuitive Leadership.

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As with all our programs, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer, all feedback is focused on the strengths of the writer, and our unique writing voice will continually grow clearer and stronger, the more it is expressed and encouraged.

​

Instructor:  Elizabeth Perlman

​

• *Girls includes all gender-expansive youth.

• Enrollment occurs quarterly (our schedule is based on the Acalanes District academic calendar) but tuition is pro-rated depending on the day you register. Because we depend upon tuition to run and sustain our org, we cannot offer refunds once the quarter is underway. That said, if your child doesn't absolutely love their first class, just let us know and we can provide a full refund up to 5 days after the first class. We want your child to choose writing purely for the joy of it!

• Private and homeschooling classes available upon request.

• See Tuition page for details.
  
  For questions or talk in more depth, contact Elizabeth.

In this class, TIWP graduates will select, edit, and lay out their strongest pieces in order to self-publish their own anthology of writing. Whereas most of our classes are focused on generating that all-important first draft (and our TIWP anthologies only feature 2-3 pieces per author), this class is focused on a vigorous process of editing, polishing, and culling the best writing of each writer, anywhere from 10 to 50 pieces.

 

Writers will also learn more about editing and book design using the platforms Reedsy and Canva. Those who enjoy art or photography will learn to integrate visuals into their writing and everyone will be empowered to design their own cover. We will also discuss website builders like Wix, Weeby, Squarespace, and Wordpress, including the process of purchasing your own domain and establishing your online platform as a published author.

 

In the end, each writer will emerge with an exceptional portfolio of writing in the form of a professional quality book (with both soft and hard cover options) printed through Blurb in San Fransisco. (Books published through Blurb can be sold via the Blurb Bookstore, on Amazon, and in over 39,000 stores with Ingram's distribution.)
 

As with all our programs, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer, all feedback is focused on the strengths of the writer, and our unique writing voice will continually grow clearer and stronger, the more it is expressed and encouraged.

​

Instructor:  Elizabeth Perlman

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• Class size is 4-8. Each class is two hours at $90/class. 5 classes total.

• For questions or to talk in more depth, contact Elizabeth.

This is a self-empowerment and personal activism program for girls, gender-expansive youth and everyone who cares about feminism, personal growth, and coming together to change the world. It is a safe place to speak your truth and have it heard, affirmed and supported. It's also a creative workshop for the radical exchange of ideas and projects designed to heal the planet, fostering a more just, equitable, and balanced world for all.

 

The focus is on writing, of course, but writing for self-expression, for freedom, for innovation, for power, for FUN! We don't care about spelling, grammar, or proper essay structure, whatever that is. The goals are:  self-connection, social-connection, stress-release, personal growth and, of course, FUN!
 

As with all our programs, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer, all feedback is focused on the strengths of the writer, and our unique writing voice will continually grow clearer and stronger, the more it is expressed and encouraged.

​

Instructor:  Elizabeth Perlman

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• Class size is 4-8. Each class is one hour and fifteen minutes at $40/class.

• Schedule determined by those enrolled.

• For questions or to talk in more depth, contact Elizabeth.

For anyone who needs some time to de-stress and decompress, this 75 minute, after-school program gives kids a chance to express their needs, connect to their strengths, find their voice and develop their creative-muscle. (Creativity IS a muscle and it gets stronger the more you use it!) This program is offered on campus, usually in the Wellness Center, because it's so good for mental, social and emotional health. It’s also very relaxing, energizing and fun!
 

As with all our programs, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer, all feedback is focused on the strengths of the writer, and our unique writing voice will continually grow clearer and stronger, the more it is expressed and encouraged.

​

Instructor:  Elizabeth Perlman

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• Day and time determined by the school.

• Class size is 5-10.

• Cost is $40/class. Need-based scholarships available on request.

 

For questions or to talk about bringing this program to your school, contact our Elizabeth.

If you love writing with us but don't have the time to meet every week, consider a 3-7 day writing camp, in which we will tailor the curriculum and the focus (fiction or nonfiction) to the interests of those enrolled.
 

As with all our programs, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer, all feedback is focused on the strengths of the writer, and our unique writing voice will continually grow clearer and stronger, the more it is expressed and encouraged.

​

Instructor:  Elizabeth Perlman

​

• Class size is 4-6. Each class is two hours at $90/class.

• *Girls includes all gender-expansive youth

• To develop your camp schedule or talk in more depth about the content, contact Elizabeth.