A crowded HHS Library Media Center was the scene on Wednesday evening, October 9, 2013 as 150 students and parents packed the room to attend the College Application Essay Writing Workshop offered by Library Media Specialist Theresa DiGeronimo.  The program guided attendees through the process of choosing an essay topic, writing a draft, and completing the final copy.

Using the Common Application essay topics as examples, DiGeronimo discussed the do’s and don’ts of each of the five questions.  Thinking about the reason for each question, students learned that the essay must focus on the writer, not the topic. When recounting a “failure,” for example, the focus of the essay should not be on the failure, but rather on the lessons learned by the writer.

Following the instructional segment of the program, students were given time to choose a topic and begin writing. DiGeronimo will continue to meet with all students in attendance as they continue to write and revise their essays throughout the fall.

Participants concluded the evening by taking an online survey to evaluate the program. One hundred percent of respondents agreed that the workshop helped them prepare to write the college application essay.