On the second day of the program, cherubs gathered to undergo a traditional experience: having their work scrutinized by their professors in real-time.
Most cherubs said they weren’t used to getting lots of immediate feedback on their writing, forcing many to quickly adjust to the camp’s higher standards.
Cara Huang, of Los Angeles, said she has received constructive criticism at school. But she wasn’t used to the volume of feedback program instructors provide.
“It was difficult due to the amount of edits,” she said. ”But it taught me how to edit for accuracy, brevity and clarity on my own.”
While this adjustment may be stressful for some students, instructors say it helps them connect with students.
Mary Lou Song, co-head instructor, said such rotating rewrites allow her to see students perform under pressure.
“Do they handle the pressure with grace?” Song said. “Do they find the joy, do they find the humor?”
Kailen Shah, of Burlingame, California, said that despite the challenges, he thinks the editing he received made his journalism stronger.
“I think I learned a lot,” Shah said. “You have to fall to get back up, and I’m proud of everyone here and I’m proud of myself.”
