June 10-June 14, 2024

Catholic Literary Arts is proud to present the Anthology for the High School Writers Institute 2024.
 Follow this link to read a selection of short pieces from the writers at the June 2024 High School Writers Institute.

Registration Questions • Classroom Questions • Cost Questions • Waitlist Questions • What Participants Are Saying • Registration Form

 FAQs

REGISTRATION QUESTIONS

When is this year’s High School Writer’s Institute (HSWI)?

This year’s High School Writers Institute will be Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14, 2024. Click here to view or download the HSWI 2023 flier.

For what grade should I register my child?

Summer camp is open to all public education, private education, and home-school education students who are current 8thto 12th graders. Students will be placed in classrooms based on the grade they will be entering in the fall.

When is the deadline to register?

Our Summer Writing Camps typically close registration early due to full enrollment. We encourage early enrollment.

Do you provide transportation?

CLA does not provide transportation.

Who do I contact if I still have questions?

If you have any additional questions about the High School Writers Institute or encounter any problems during registration, please call the Catholic Literary Arts office and ask for Sarah Cortez at 713.331.9342.

CLASSROOM QUESTIONS

What time does class begin and end?

Daily sign-in begins at 8:30 a.m. each day. We officially start the day at 9:00 a.m. with Community Prayer then proceed to the first session at 9:10 a.m.

There will be four hours of instruction, plus lunch and daily Mass, Monday through Thursday.

We will begin signing out students at 2:00 p.m. each day. Upon registration, you will be emailed details of the drop-off and pick-up location and procedures. Please be punctual. If you have an emergency, please notify us at 713.331.9342. There will be a charge of $5/minute after 2:20 p.m. each day.

Please note that HSWI students may be authorized by a parent or legal guardian to sign in and out of our program themselves. Parents should designate this authorization upon registration.

Friday, June 14, will be devoted to a reading beginning at nine-thirty a.m. by each student of a sample of work written during the week. All parents and friends of the students are invited to attend this public event.  Students receive a full portfolio of the week’s writing. Parents may take their students home after the reading.

Is this camp just like school?

The HSWI provides a pre-collegiate setting in which high school writers can refine writing style, develop greater technical proficiency, learn the strategies of master writers, and gain inspiration from great works of literature. Hesitant writers bloom in the supportive environment as they learn new craft strategies and develop the confidence to think of themselves as writers. Students who already see themselves as authors work toward personal writing goals, develop advanced craft skills, nourish their creativity, and grow under the mentorship of professional faculty writers.

What does a typical HSWI day look like?

Each day, writers will attend a series of engaging writing workshops to gain inspiration, try out new craft skills, and refine their personal writing styles. Courses focus on engaging topics, such as world-building, verse craft, and new applications of ancient scriptural literary forms. Our writers also learn how to reflect on God’s presence in their lives and craft personal narratives, a skill which will help them write college application essays and will also aid in numerous future professional endeavors. They will attend lectures, workshops, and informal lunch sessions with our renowned guest writers, James Matthew Wilson and Brigid Pasulka.

The Writer’s Institute provides:

• The joy of belonging to a writing community

• Inspiration from great literary works

• Individual writing time

• Individual conferencing with instructors

• Teacher feedback on students’ writing

• Practice of revision technique

• Performance coaching and practice

• Building of a personal writing portfolio that shows a range of skills

What is the student-teacher ratio?

Each class is taught by two high quality, Safe Haven-certified, professional faculty members. Each class also typically includes a teachers’ assistant, with a ratio of 1 teacher to 12 students.

What is the HSWI faculty like?

All our faculty meet rigorous standards for teaching in Catholic education. They are passionate about spreading the joy of the Gospel through sacred Scriptural texts and life-affirming example.  Learn more about our HSWI faculty (Coming Soon).

We are writers ourselves. Our philosophy is to share writing by connecting students to the power of creative expression. We encourage hesitant writers and give them additional skills to build confidence. We challenge confident writers to open new vistas of creative expression. We share the wonderful gifts that professional writing has given to us—particularly the ways we create a supportive community of self-expression based on the Beatitudes.

What does my high schooler need to bring to the Writers Institute?

Generally, your teen should bring to camp a labeled bottle of water, his or her lunch, a notebook with lined paper, and pencils or pens. Any additional materials will be supplied by CLA.

How does lunch or breaks work during the day?

All students will bring their lunches. All lunch containers must bear the student's name. There is a supervised lunch break roughly mid-way through the class day. Students may have supervised break time inside or outside a building on the UST campus. Students can bring snacks or a lunch that can be eaten during their lunch or break times.

What is the dress code for HSWI?

Students may wear jeans, trousers, or pants. Shorts are permitted if they are modest in length. For girls, no halter tops, tank tops, swim suit tops, or blouses that show the midriff or that are lower in front than the collar bone. Girls may wear dresses that cover the shoulder and are knee-length or longer. For student safety, no flip-flops.

Please remember that students and faculty attend daily Mass. Please assist your student in dressing in a way that reflects respect toward the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament at Mass.

On Friday, June 14, for the final reading, all students must wear professional-looking attire. For the young men, khakis and polos or button-down Oxfords. For the young ladies, “Sunday best” dresses or knee-length skirts/slacks with a modest top. Shoulders and midriffs must be covered. Skirts and dresses must be knee-length or longer, and cannot be lower in front than the collar bone.. Wear dress shoes.

Will my child attend mass during HSWI?

Each day, the students and their instructors will attend daily Mass before lunch.

What is the Final Friday celebration?

The HSWI culminates with a Final Friday Reading, a student performance of original works written during the week. All parents and friends of the students are invited to attend this public event on the UST campus. We anticipate that students will leave campus with their parents when the reading is finished at approximately 11;00 a.m. on Friday, June 14, 2024.

On Friday, June 14, for the final reading, all students must wear professional or “Sunday best” church clothes. For the young men, this means khakis or slacks with a polo or button-down Oxford. For the young ladies, this means knee-length or longer dresses or skirts, slacks, and a blouse. Jeans, shorts, spaghetti straps, and other casual clothing is inappropriate attire for the students, who will all perform in this exciting event.

COST QUESTIONS

Are there deadlines and refunds for cancellations?

When you enroll your child in the High School Writers Institute, you will read and agree to the following cancellation and refund policy:

By enrolling my child, I understand and agree that the High School Writer’s Institute will provide:

• Through May 1, at 11:59 p.m., a refund for full tuition minus a $75 cancellation fee for each child.   

• From May 2 through May 10, at 11:59 p.m., a refund of 50% tuition for each child.

• After May 10 at 11:59 p.m., no refunds will be given.

• No prorated refund will be provided for students who miss a day or partial day of Camp.

What if my child cannot attend the full session?

The High School Writers Institute is an intensive writing workshop, and daily participation is important for student success. We recognize the importance of incremental learning, especially for skills such as writing. Your teen will gain skills and focus through regular attendance at the Institute for the full day's session each day of the Institute. No refunds are made for illness or lack of attendance for any reason.

How are payments accepted?

Payments may only be made online using PayPal. A confirmation email will be sent following registration, with more details arriving closer to camp. A waiver will be emailed for completion by June 10, the first day of Camp. No payment plans are available, and the full tuition is due at the time of registration.

Regrettably, if payment is not made at the time of registration, the student’s enrollment cannot be guaranteed.

Are scholarships available?

Yes! Due to the generosity of our benefactors, scholarships are available for interested students. If you would like to donate for a scholarship to the High School Writers Institute, please click here to donate to Catholic Literary Arts.

If you wish to apply for a scholarship, please email to cathla.org@gmail.com the following items by April 1:

• A letter from the parents stating a need for scholarship, age and current grade level of the child. Please also provide the child's current school by name and current Catholic parish.

• A letter from the child stating why he/she wishes to attend the Camp.

What is the cost of the High School Writers Institute Tuition?

Regular Registration Rates (after April 15, 2024): First child = $275, second sibling = $250, third and more = $235 each.

As an example:

The first child is always $275.
The second child is always $250.
The third child and above is $235.

In other words, if a parent registers five children. The first child will be charged $275. The second is $250, The third, fourth, and fifth will be charged the "Third child and above" rate ($235 each).

It is necessary to fill out a separate Registration Form for each child in a family who will attend HSWI or FCWC.

What does my child get for their tuition?

Students receive about 20 hours of high-quality classroom instruction with published authors and professional teachers, a publication of the camp’s student digital anthology with a portfolio of each student’s best writing, and final performance.

WAITLIST QUESTIONS

What happens if my child is put on a waitlist?

Class sizes are approximately 22 students per class. Multi-grade classrooms may be necessary due to enrollment figures. We will try our best to place students in single-grade classrooms. If all spaces are filled, your application will be put on a waiting list. CLA will hold on to your application during this time. In the event there is a cancellation and space becomes available, you will be notified to see if you are still interested in the program. You will not pay for the class until you have confirmed.

Do you offer camps or workshops at other times?

CLA’s Fearless Catholic Writing Camp for students runs concurrently with HSWI, also at UST. Click here for details.

At this time, CLA only offers one summer session of these programs, each one week in length. Due to growing interest in our Fearless Catholic Writing Camp and High School Writers Institute, we pray in the future we can provide more options for families to enroll their children for additional weeks in the summer.

In addition to summer camp, CLA also offers an After-School Program for schools in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston throughout the year. Please contact us to discuss programming for fall or spring semesters at your school. Stay connected to learn more about future Fearless Catholic Writing Programs. 

During each academic school year, we offer a tuition-based program called the Teen Mentorship Writing Program. Use this link to read the details.

We also extend our teaching expertise through the Fearless Writers Lessons Plans to allow parents and other classroom teachers to teach creative writing in poetry, fiction, personal essay, and sacred story.  This self-paced resource works well with high school students who enjoy the guidance through pre-writing, idea generation, analysis of the mentor text, and a specific writing assignment with suggestions for revision–just as they have learned in HSWI. Click here for details.

When is the deadline to register?

Please register early. Our classes fill up quickly.

What Participants Are Saying

“I love learning about haikus, senryus, and tankas!"

— Fernando, Age 16

“With your help, (our teachers) helped me get over my fear of writing, and opened a new medium for my creativity to the Greater Glory of God.”

— Roman, Age 16

“I learned to enjoy writing stories for children.”

— Chiara, Age 17

“I’ve learned to make new friends along the way and found a love for writing. This camp has taught me to step out of my comfort zone and face new challenges. Also, we get an hour for lunch!”

— Marissa, Age 16

 Camp Course Description

Our High School Writers Institute immerses high school students in the world of ideas and creative writing. Workshops in poetry, personal essay, fiction, and sacred story will complement engaging lectures from our guest author to inspire and refine each student’s expression on the written page.

Catholic professor and father James Matthew Wilson will introduce students to the intellectual tradition of our faith and the pursuit of Beauty, Truth, and Goodness through literature. Catholic fiction writer and professor Brigid Pasulka will introduce students to techniques and strategies to make their fictional stories alive and engaging.

Students will build writing portfolios as they strengthen confidence and proficiency in crafting works of fiction, poetry, personal narrative, and spiritual literature. Our writers also strengthen presentation skills and experience the inspiration of growing within a joyful writing community.

Register Now

2024 High School Writers Institute Registration

Monday - Friday, June 10 - 14, 2024

Individual registration is required for each child. 

All payment is electronic via PayPal. You may charge your credit card through PayPal.

Registration is a two-part process. Both steps must be completed to register your child.

Step One:

Fill out the registration form.
To be taken to the form, click the “Register” button below.
You will be taken away from this page.
Fill out the form, submit it, then return to this page to pay.