The Influence of Teens with a Pen

Mount Paran Christian School teenagers are using the power of the written word to influence and encourage others in their faith. For over a decade, students in select English and Creative Writing courses at MPCS have embraced the challenge to write devotional articles for a Christian teen magazine. Upper Room Ministries’ Devozine, written by teens for teens, has an online and print readership of almost 200,000 this twentieth year of publication. Whether for group Bible studies or private meditation, students can access daily devotionals on their website at www.devozine.org.

 

 

Skills for Writing... and Life

In the classroom, students learn to write for a specific audience, draw from personal experience, and support/inspire others in Christian living. As part of the Devozine assignment, students draft, edit, revise, and submit their own devotions. The intent is to give a practical challenge for the reader: a journal topic, Scripture, resource, prayer, or other application of the topic. Some students even include their own poetry, artwork, or photography. Young writers embrace the challenge to create a thought-provoking devotion for the benefit of their peers with the possibility of becoming a published author.

 

 

A Forum for Influential Expression

Well over one-hundred MPCS students have been selected for publication over the years and have graduated as paid and published authors. While this experience aids students in their writing endeavors and boosts their resumes, the most significant result is the potential to influence other teens by sharing their life experiences and keen understanding of biblical truths.

During the past two years, the editors of Devozine selected the following students for publication in the magazine. Congratulations to our most recent group of published writers:

Will Burton, Connor Foust, Alexis Harvey, Olivia Leveridge, Kate Massey, Catherine Pyle, Katie Roberts, Alison Vaughan, MK Watt, and Taya Welch.

 

 

Additionally, Isaac Zefo was chosen to be part of the publication's Teen Advisory Board. He received spreads and assignments from Devozine requiring him to edit student writings and to provide feedback on the relevance of topics and the aesthetics of the layout/design elements. He was featured in the September/October 2017 issue and online more recently. 

 

Applying writing skills in a meaningful way gives our teens a voice in today's culture. MPCS students have risen to the challenge in sharing their hearts with other teens. The Devozine forum gives students the opportunity to express themselves and ultimately influence a generation to be confident in their faith.

 

Greta Zefo serves as the English Department Chair in the high school at Mount Paran Christian School.

Photography by Luke Spinetto, MPCS student, and Tyler Shores.

  

 

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MPCS provides innovative ways to engage our students enabling them to thrive academically and spiritually. Click here to learn how academic excellence is achieved in a Christ-centered environment. 

 

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