The Germantown Academy Writing Center welcomed Upper School students on Wednesday, Feb. 4, for a creative writing workshop introducing participants to the “Golden Shovel” style of poetry.

Led by Upper School English teacher Dr. Claire Barwise and members of the Writing Center team, the session invited students to create original poems using words from an existing poem, song lyric, or stanza as the foundation for a new piece of writing. The Golden Shovel technique allows writers to build fresh meaning while honoring the original text, offering a structure that can be as simple or complex as they choose.

“My goal was to create a fun, relaxed space where students could engage creatively and connect with other writers,” Barwise said. “I chose Golden Shovel poems because they work well whether you’ve been writing poetry for years or have never written a poem in your life. Many students brought in song lyrics to use, which I loved because it helps us recognize that poetry is all around us already and makes the form less intimidating.”

Throughout the workshop, students brainstormed, drafted, and revised their poems both independently and collaboratively, receiving guidance from Writing Center staff along the way. The flexible structure of the form encouraged experimentation, allowing writers of varying experience levels to participate comfortably.

A relaxed, welcoming atmosphere helped bring together writers across grade levels and experience levels, reinforcing the Writing Center’s mission to support strong communication and creative expression across campus.

“I hope students came away excited to have created something and wanting to keep working on it,” Barwise said. “Eventually, our goal is to expand these workshops to be more frequent and led by student advisors from the Writing Center, and really grow the creative writing community here at GA.”