We are 27 days away from the New Year and you know what that means: resolutions. While everyone else rushes about the mall, frantically searching for the perfect Christmas gift and listening to Mariah Carey on repeat, the Ursuline Academy Writing Center has already taken steps toward its own New Year’s resolution.

The Writing Center took over the old English department office just last year. With this expansion came challenges: a drab space, staffing issues, and an unusual amount of mini Christmas trees. Through hard work and diligence, this year’s staff has made efforts to improve on such issues. Twenty-five National Honor Society students have been hand-selected and received training in order to ensure students receive the most comprehensive aid possible. These students are scheduled for shifts in the Writing Center, providing students with peer tutors at all hours of the school day.

Additionally, the Writing Center has partnered with Ursuline Academy’s National Art Honor Society to clean and design the new room. Much of the space has been cleared out, mini Christmas trees are gone, and students are currently preparing for a fresh coat of paint. Some generous donors (looking at you Mrs. Waldron) have provided the Writing Center with furniture and decorations, turning the lackluster room into a welcoming space for blossoming writers.

Special thanks must be given to Ursuline Academy’s Dr. Rachel Edwards and Tammie Sylvia. Dr. Edwards’ experience running Temple University’s writing center gave her the skills necessary to advise on our Writing Center’s structural development and train the new student staffers. Mrs. Sylvia must be commended for dreaming up the Writing Center and her continual efforts to make this dream a reality. Her tenacity has allowed for this expansion and will provide the Writing Center with many years of continued success.