Seventh grade student earns praise from college professor

Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School seventh grade student Julia Stockwell wrote her first story in the first grade. An avid writer for most of her school life, Julia received praise from the Sage Colleges communications professor Julia Perkins during a recent immersion workshop at the Arkell Museum in Canajoharie.

“She was very impressed with Julia’s writing,” said Fort Plain English teacher Louise Clute. “At the end of the session, the professor told Julia is she gets her book published, she would make a donation to Fort Plain.”

Julia and nine other students took part in the “Frightening Fiction” workshop, where Perkins instructed them to write a scary story complete with characters, a setting, and a plot. She covered the basics of writing a scary story and how to create believable characters.

Julia then created a story about a girl who travels to an alternate universe through a mirror.

“It was really fun to write and I learned a lot,” Julia said. “I’ve always like writing and science.”

Mrs. Clute calls Julia a “great student” and a “natural.”

“She’s a leader and she helps out a lot,” she said. “Next year, these students will teach the new students the same writing process.”