Local Teens Participate in New UAB Creative Writing Workshop

Eleven local teens recently participated in the new Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop sponsored by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

Posted on June 30, 2004 at 11:09 a.m.

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Eleven local teens recently participated in the new Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop sponsored by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The workshop, which was held June 7-25, was created for high school students interested in creative writing either for school or as a career.

The workshop is co-sponsored by the UAB Department of English and the Honors Program. It is named in honor of UAB English Professor Ada Long, Ph.D., founding director of the UAB Honors Program who retires June 30.

Students received instruction in poetry, fiction, memoir, playwriting and writing for children. The instructors were: Poet and children’s book author Tony Crunk, M.F.A., who directs the UAB Creative Writing Program; Novelist Daryl Brown, M.F.A., from the University of North Alabama; Poet Rusty Rushton, Ph.D., assistant director of the UAB Honors Program; Poet Maria Morrison, M.F.A., co-founder of the Magic City Community Writers; and Poet and essayist Tina Harris, M.A., an instructor in the UAB Department of English.

The students, who were nominated by their teachers for the workshop, represented the Birmingham Public, Walker County, Jefferson County and Mountain Brook City schools and a church affiliated school. The high school participants were:

  • Mischa Allen, of Birmingham, a senior at Ramsey High School

  • Jenafer [cq]Coston, of Dora, a senior at Corner High School

  • Lionel Copeland, of Birmingham, a junior at Ramsey High School

  • Blake Griggs, of Birmingham, a junior at Jefferson County International Baccalaureate

  • Elizabeth Haley, of Mountain Brook, a senior at Mountain Brook High School

  • Elais Jackson, of Birmingham, a junior at Ramsey High School

  • Brianna Masterson, of Jasper, a senior at Curry High School

  • Meagan McDaniel, of Leeds, a senior at Briarwood Christian High School

  • Jacqueline Reed, of McCalla, a senior at Satsuma High School in Satsuma, Alabama

  • Tiffaney Strayhorne, of Birmingham, a senior, at Ramsey High School

  • Jazmund Walker, of Birmingham, a senior at G. W. Carver High School