Creative Writing Comes Alive In Chatham's Inkblot Club

CHATHAM, NJ — The Chatham High School Inkblot Club, which focuses on creative writing, has collaborated with Lafayette fifth-grade students on a new project called "The Dream Drawing Project."

In this collaborative project, fifth graders illustrate a dream, and CHS writers interpret the dream and give it life on the page by either writing a short story or poem.

The Dream Drawing Project began with one class at Lafayette and has since grown to four classes, according to school officials. Last year, approximately 30 pieces were written by Chatham High School students.

Rachel Williams and Alannah James, both seniors, are the presidents of the Inkblot Club and have been working on this project for several years.

"At the moment we are working with Ms. Collett, Ms. Graves, Ms. Grobert and Ms. Erezuma, and we hope to have more classes participate in the future. Doing this project is so much fun, especially when we present and get to show off our work to the fifth graders," Williams and James said.

According to Williams, the project has rekindled a spark of joy and imagination in the members of the Inkblot Club while also providing a creative outlet for the Lafayette students. "The Lafayette kids get to explore a creative side of themselves that they might not within a regular curriculum and get to see that creativity validated by older kids."

Inkblot advisor and Chatham High School English teacher Kris Fallon said, “Rachel and Alannah have done a phenomenal job growing this involved endeavor- they do all the contact, follow-up and scheduling for the final presentations.”

According to officials, a presentation ceremony showcasing all of the student writing will take place this spring.

"It really is the best part of our year; there's nothing better than seeing the kids grin and high-five their friends when they hear specific parts of their drawings referenced in our stories,” Williams said.