Hi there,
we are the Belmont Youth Writers!
We are Belmont high schoolers who have worked together to create a program that teaches younger students the fun and beauty of reading and writing.
Our Mission
We started this program with two goals in mind. First, we hope to guide younger children in their writing progress. Not only do we focus on technical and creative improvement, we want to show them how enjoyable writing can be!
Second, by launching this project, we wish to bridge the gap between grades in our community. In our town, younger students hardly ever see older ones. Since we all live in Belmont, the connections between us are very important. We really hope that our program, which has high schoolers working with elementary and middle schoolers, will help to further unify Belmont and bring better communication between kids of all grades.
Members
Anya Chen
Sophomore at Belmont High School
Hello, my name is Anya! I am a rising sophomore at the Belmont High School, as well as a Belmont Youth Writers teacher for our fifth grade (and up) classes. Besides working with younger kids, I enjoy reading, writing, drawing, baking, swimming, and playing tennis in my free time. I think that writing is a vessel for us to creatively express our emotions and share our ideas with the world. It's a beautiful art that connects each and every one of us. As a mentor for these courses, I hope to share the joy of writing with younger students; however, learning is mutual, so even though I am a "teacher", I know that you all have much to teach me, too!
Diya Rana
Sophomore at Belmont High School
Hello everyone! I’m Diya Rana, a rising Sophomore at Belmont High School. I teach the 3rd and 4th grade levels for the Belmont Youth Writers. This year I won the English Department Award for Individual Achievement, and was published in two editions of Young Writers USA as a middle schooler. I’m an avid reader, singer and swimmer who enjoys expressing their ideas in different forms and styles. I’m excited to get to know all of you throughout our time together, and hope to learn from your own experiences!
Heidi Zhang
Sophomore at Belmont High School
Hi, I’m Heidi and I’m a sophomore at Belmont High School. I am also a competitive swimmer and during my free time, I enjoy reading and drawing! I would like to think I’m good at math, too. Fortunately, I was to be able to teach writing to 1st and 2nd graders last year as part of our free summer writing classes. I'm excited for this upcoming year, as we have a lot more planned!
Katelyn Liu
Sophomore at Belmont High School
My name is Katelyn Liu and I am an upcoming sophomore at Belmont High School as well as one of the Class 3 teachers for 5th graders in the Belmont Youth Writers Program. My skill set is very versatile, ranging from creative writing to persuasive compositions and academic essays. My goal during these 8 weeks is to not only prepare your child for the upcoming fall school year, but to also develop and grow their writing abilities along with encouraging them to think actively and creatively beyond the classroom. In my free time, I enjoy playing violin in the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, watching animated films, and occasionally running.
Sophia Liu
Sophomore at Belmont High School
Hey everyone! My name is Sophia Liu, and I'm a freshman/ soon-to-be sophomore at Belmont High School; I'm currently one of the grade 2 tutors (Class 1A). Some of my hobbies include drawing, journaling, and playing volleyball; my least favorite color is neon orange and my least favorite food is cilantro (I seem to have been born with a deep hate for cilantro). While I don't have any writing accolades, I love working with kids, and I'm really looking forward to teaching this session!
Tara Powell
Freshman at Belmont High School
Hi! I’m Tara Powell and I’m a freshman at Belmont High School. I’ve loved English and writing since I was little and it has been a passion along with a hobby of mine for as long as I can remember. Some other hobbies of mine include gardening and reading. I also play 3 instruments!
Rachel Li
Freshman at Belmont High School
Hi, my name is Rachel! I am currently a freshman at Belmont High School, as well as one of the editors for BYW. Besides editing, I mentor music and English to elementary and middle school students. I am a nationally-ranked fencer, and I also enjoy drawing, reading, playing the viola, and coding! I’m excited to read all of your wonderful submissions!
Collaborations
We are working with the Belmont Youth Commission (YC) to bring you all of our best ideas. The Youth Commission's overall goal is to promote community wellness by focusing on youth and family issues. From organizing town activities to promoting local programs and events, the YC works to ensure that the children of Belmont feel as though they are involved in, and proud of, their community. As we work toward our aligned mission, we hope to bring you a program that students, both younger and older, will enjoy and learn from.