Creative writing workshops for high school students
☼ Central Park, NY
The Park Workshop
● About
Where creativity runs free
The Park Workshop is a creative writing program for rising 9th-12th graders. Young writers gather outdoors to develop their craft, think freely, and engage thoughtfully with their own and others' work.
Through reading, discussion, and writing, students build confidence in their voice while becoming part of a creative community. All experience levels are welcome.
“Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” - Mary Oliver
● Programs
Current workshop
4 weeks
Wednesdays: July 29, Aug 5, Aug 12, Aug 19
6:30-7:30 P.M.
Everyone has stories worth telling. Want to get yours onto the page? Over four weeks, we'll practice the art of personal storytelling in a supportive, generative workshop environment limited to 12 students. Each session is built around free writing, readings from master writers for inspiration and insight, and creative exercises designed to help you discover your voice while strengthening both craft and confidence. Along the way, you'll have the opportunity to share your writing for personalized feedback. Together, we'll explore four essential elements of compelling personal writing: observation, voice, place, and character.
You'll come away with pages of new writing, a stronger sense of your voice, thoughtful feedback, and practical tools to keep writing long after the workshop ends.
Meeting spot: 90th Street & 5th Avenue, entrance to Central Park known as Engineers' Gate, the Friedel Memorial Drinking Fountain
● About
Meet the instructor
Jenna Shapiro is a New York–based writer. She holds a B.A. in English from Stanford University and an MFA in Creative Writing from NYU, where she taught as an Adjunct Instructor.
Previously, Jenna spent six years at Meta leading content strategy, brand voice, and narrative design—regularly presenting to the CMO. She has since led content strategy for consumer products, emerging technology, and financial services, and is currently a Senior Content Strategist at JPMorgan.
She has led creative writing workshops at Stanford, NYU, Girls Write Now, and Girls Inc. She’s passionate about helping students develop their voices and believes deeply in the lifelong value of storytelling, written communication, and self-expression.
Jenna has also designed and taught coursework on Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and considers writing to be an eighth habit.
