Some of the most compelling and moving journalism stems from feature writing that engages the senses and tells stories that move readers. In this interactive feature writing workshop, participants will learn feature writing story structures by reading award-winning professional journalists. Students will also explore feature writing terms, researching, and descriptive writing skills.  Students will learn interviewing question techniques and how to prepare for a live interview. A special guest, Stillwater’s mayor Ted Kozlowski, will visit the class to give students an opportunity to practice interviewing and documenting responses.  After a “picnic” lunch, students will apply their skills of feature writing by crafting their own original human interest feature story focusing on our primary subject. Finished products will be shared among participants digitally.

SAHS English teacher Rachel Steil has interned with ABC News Nightline and Kare 11, advises the award-winning newspaper publication the Pony Express newspaper, and is a Minnesota Teacher of the Year Finalist for 2015.