Written by Rita Feinstein, D.C. Regional Manager
On the evening of December 11th, 2025, DC families braved the cold to come support their young writers at our Fall Reading at the Tenley-Friendship Library. Co-hosts Gabe and Mason —members of our advanced teen Creative Portfolio program—brought flair, humor, and natural charisma to the event. We had a great lineup of readers who shared a diverse array of original fiction and poetry, from the dark and satirical to the humorous and whimsical.
These readings are not only a warm, celebratory showcase; they’re also a reminder of the strength of our community and how much incredible support our writers receive from their workshop leaders (shoutout to instructor Bailey for showing up for her writers!), their families, and each other. We can always count on parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends to ask thoughtful questions, and for our writers to light up with eagerness to give equally thoughtful responses.
We usually close the Q&A by asking all the writers what they love about writing, but this time around—knowing how self-critical they can be and how perfectionism can be so paralyzing—I asked them to share one writing accomplishment they’re proud of from this fall. Their answers ranged from submitting to the Scholastic Writing Awards to compiling a vast amount of research for a historical fantasy story to pivoting to a different project when they felt stuck. It was great to hear everyone celebrate their own hard work, and an important reminder that all aspects of the writing process—planning, drafting, revising, submitting, and sharing—can be equally joyful.
Readers:
Nina, Age 9
Alessa, Age 11
Sully, Age 14
Theo, Age 14
Ellen, Age 16
Cindy, Age 17
GiGi, Age 17
Viraaj, Age 17
Brian, Age 17