Duke University’s English Department and Charles E. Jordan High School (JHS) sponsor writing organizations that allow students interested in creative writing to collaborate with peers who have similar interest. During the 2023-24 academic year, Duke Writers Collective (DWC), advised by English Professor JP Gritton, began collaborating with Jordan High’s Writing Club, advised by English teacher Stuart Albright. The two groups were introduced to each other by Blackburn Artist in Residence Toby Martinez de las Rivas through his connection with another Jordan High English teacher, Joseph Stapleton, who in turn brought the club’s founder Emmy Grigoni, ’25, together with English major, Huda Haque, ’26, and other members of the Duke Writers Collective.
The DWC is a student-led organization devoted to building a literary culture on Duke’s campus. It holds weekly writers’ workshops, hosts monthly guest speakers, and has a yearly writing contest. Once or twice a semester, Professor Gritton invites writers from around the Triangle to facilitate workshops. As the Duke Writers Collective advisor, Professor Gritton serves as a “liaison” between the group, creative writing faculty, and other Duke community organizations like Studio Duke/Duke Arts.
Emmy Grigoni started the writing club at Jordan High School during the 2023-24 school year. Approximately twenty students participate in the club, and on average, a dozen members meet bi-weekly before school to share, discuss, and present writing projects.
The DWC’s mentorship program at JHS has been an instructive experience. Professors Toby Martinez de las Rivas and JP Gritton provide organizational support and act as a “sounding board.” Everything else is based on Huda Haque and others at the DWC’s initiative. Haque shared that the concept for this collaboration was born from her experience during high school, which allowed her to meet and work with others interested in creative writing during COVID-19. DWC members often join the JHS Writing Club and help lead their meetings by providing topics and activities.
The DWC provides guidance to the JHS students through presentations, Q&A sessions, and insight into possible creative writing opportunities after high school, whether it is pursuing creative writing as a major or minor or being a part of a peer writing group like the Duke Writers Collective. The DWC’s goal with this collaboration is to pique high school students’ interest in creative writing and encourage them to continue to pursue this interest after graduation. To conclude the academic year, the Jordan High School Writing Club hosted a showcase, during which they shared some of their creative writing and was attended by members of the Duke Writers Collective.
“It’s been such a joy to see these teenagers collaborate with Duke students this year. We are excited about how this partnership can grow in the years to come. Duke is a tremendous resource, and Jordan High School is a vibrant hub of young writers who are really thoughtful and mature for their age. There are a lot of possibilities for this partnership to evolve.”
- Stuart Albright, English Teacher and advisor for the Jordan High School Writing Club
Both clubs expressed interest in expanding their membership and including other Durham Public Schools and Duke writing clubs in their efforts to add life to the local creative writing community.
“I think there’s a lot of energy and excitement around the partnerships the DWC has formed with young creative writers in the Triangle. This fall, in conjunction with the department’s Blackburn Literary Festival, students from Carrboro HS and Jordan HS will come to Duke for a day of workshops and readings. It’s impressive what they’ve accomplished in so short of a time. It’s exciting to think about ways that things like the Blackburn Literary Festival can involve people from around the Triangle in celebration of good writing.”
- Professor JP Gritton
English Department
