Due to the overwhelming popularity of Marymount’s many clubs, activities, and events, it can be easy to overlook some of our school’s lesser-advertised educational programs. One particularly valuable institution is the Writing Lab, located in B-205 and open daily during lunch and Period 9. Writing Lab provides personalized, one-on-one tutoring for any particular writing assignment in which a student needs help. Besides having talented English teachers who assist writers outside of the classroom, the lab is filled with upperclassmen who have been hand selected for their impressive writing talents by their AP English teachers.

Writing Lab is packed with accomplished writers who are passionate about helping others and who all have different individual specialties: while one tutor might have a knack for crafting beautiful prose, another could be an expert at conciseness and clarity. Therefore, whatever one’s chief writing concern is, there will be a tutor who can be very helpful to their specific needs. “I’m confident [the student tutors] have the skills necessary to give [students] the support they need,” affirms Ms. Dickey, who serves as a Writing Lab tutor in addition to teaching English. She firmly believes that student tutors are valuable assets, as they comprise the strongest writers in the grade, and “often go on to work in the writing centers of their universities.”

The benefits of Writing Lab are not so one-sided, however, as many tutors have expressed the mutualistic relationship that exists between tutors and students. For example, Ms. Dickey describes “watching young writers grow” as “everything,” because “it gives [her] a chance to get to know them outside of the classroom” and develop a relationship with them through the course of their high school careers. Cailin Stroyke ‘17 says,“tutoring in Writing Lab is very rewarding because I get to see students improve over time, and can give them advice I wish I’d known earlier on in my Marymount career.” The core values of Writing Lab emphasize equality and a mutually beneficial environment: “we’re all learners, we’re all teachers, and we’re all working with each other,” reflects Ms. Dickey.

Although many students may feel that a classroom peer-edit is sufficient, Ms. Dickey feels that making the extra effort to come into the lab is worth the trip. Besides their skills as writers, the tutors have already completed many of the students’ current assignments;  therefore, they bring a unique perspective and a large base of knowledge to their mentoring. Additionally, Writing Lab’s availability during different times makes it very accommodating to those with busy schedules and activities during the day. While making an appointment with a teacher can occasionally seem finite, students are welcome to attend Writing Lab as often as they would like for any writing assignment they are given.