Friends’ Central School Hosts Writers' Festival

On February 27, Friends’ Central School hosted its second biennial Writers’ Festival, bringing 20 world-class authors, journalists, and screenwriters to campus for a day of intensive mentorship and creative workshops. The event, organized by FCS English Department Chair Bill Kennedy, offered Upper School students a rare look at the professional craft of storytelling across multiple disciplines. Each guest writer was assigned an FCS student to help guide them through the morning's schedule.

The festival featured a diverse roster of distinguished guests, including #1 New York Times bestselling novelist and Philadelphia Inquirer contributor Jennifer Weiner, who held a candid session on the realities of the publishing world alongside her daughter, Phoebe ’26, a senior at the school. The morning was opened by keynote speaker, author and alumna Jasmine Martin ’08.

“I am delighted our students got to spend time with and be inspired by our fabulous keynote speaker, Jasmine Martin, co-author of The Upcycled Self, who encouraged young people to fight to be themselves, to find their own path and follow it,” Bill Kennedy shared. “Later, in their workshops, students had the rare opportunity to hear from professional writers of all kinds and to learn more about what writing can do and why it matters. By all accounts, the day was fun and engaging, a bright light ignited by the humanities in an otherwise hazy February.”

“It was such a surreal honor and privilege to be on that stage,” said Jasmine Martin, “ I loved seeing the students engaged!

Throughout the day, students participated in specialized workshops designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional industry standards:

• Journalism, Non-Fiction & Professional Path: Acclaimed non-fiction author Neal Bascomb discussed his latest work, while Emily Harnett ’09 led a workshop on the intricacies of pitching and reporting longform magazine features. Hannah Albertine ’12 explored the intersection of identity and place through food writing, and Tim Chawaga ’03 utilized his recently published sci-fi mystery novel to teach students how to read like writers. Ali Castleman rounded out the track by discussing how to maintain motivation and aspirations as a writer into adulthood.
• Film & Media: Slate film critic Sam Adams deconstructed the function of reviews in the digital age, and Ashlee Wellenreiter, producer of the award-winning documentary Horror Noire, shared her journey from screenwriting student to documentary storyteller. Adam Cesare, author of Clown in a Cornfield, detailed the process of adapting horror fiction for the screen.
• Poetry & The Creative Process: Claire Stancek guided students through "Compost Poetry," a technique for remixing existing lyrics into new works, while John Bosworth led a session on how writers claim their unique voice amid a swarming "deep-fake world." Michael LoStracco and Dan Wriggins explored the range of styles and contemplative practices within modern poetry.

The festival also highlighted the professional expertise of the Friends' Central faculty, with workshops led by Kyra Spence, Megan Schumacher, Sarah Nourie, Cary Snider ’11, Andy White ’03, and Al Vernacchio.

By connecting students directly with working professionals – many of whom are school alumni/ae – the festival continues Friends’ Central’s tradition of fostering bold, authentic voices ready to navigate the evolving landscape of 21st-century media.