On Nov. 14, a group of 36 Wydown Middle School students attended and participated in the 2019 Youth Writing Festival at the University of Missouri St. Louis is sponsored by the Gateway Writing Project. 

Ahmed Barrow and Hope Daugherty, participants of the OneCity Stories program, were the keynote speakers at this event. They gave advice based on their writing experience and encouraged students to pursue their passion for writing. 

Students took part in a variety of activities, including an open mic event where they could submit a piece of their writing and read it in front of an audience of over 200 students from the St. Louis area. They also took part in workshops ranging from “flash fiction” to “campfire stories” to “blackout poetry.” Students were able to write in many different formats and receive feedback from instructors and their fellow peers.