Start spreading the news…
15-year-old Hannah Connors dreams of a life as a writer, and her dad is fundraising for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make it come true
“I’ve kind of been writing forever,” says 15-year-old Hannah Connors, noting she’s mainly interested in creative writing.
But when a friend told her about a special creative-writing program at the New York Times, she was reluctant to submit an application.
“It took a lot of convincing because I didn’t think I would get in,” Hannah told the Fredericton Independent this week.
But get in, she did.
The Grade 10 student from the Fredericton area was one of thousands of applicants to apply for the iconic newspaper’s summer academy program for 2023, but is now one of the few to be accepted, giving her a chance to spend two weeks in the Big Apple from July 2-14 learning from Pulitzer Prize-winning writers and authors.
There’s just one problem: it’s expensive as hell.
“The tuition is quite a bit,” said her dad, Justin Connors.
The program will cost $8,000 Cdn for Hannah to attend, and the family can’t afford such a hefty price tag.
But he didn’t want Hannah to miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so he launched a GoFundMe campaign Monday to raise the cash.
After just a couple of days, the campaign raised more than half of the $8,000 goal, so it looks like the effort is going to pan out.
The quick community support is encouraging, Justin said, because Hannah’s hopes are subject to some tight deadlines.
Connors said the initial deposit of $1,500 US is due April 4, with the remaining balance due May 1.
Bright lights, big city
With her dream within reach, Hannah said she’s excited about the chance to go to New York, but also nervous. On the other hand, she said, she’s not intimidated about immersing herself in a metropolis.
“I love travelling to big cities like New York,” she said, noting she’d been there once before but when she was much younger.
Hannah said she knows the city is safe, but the the New York Times summer academy program has guidelines to ensure students are OK.
“You stay on a university campus,” she said, and while the students can explore the city in their off-time, there’s a buddy system to ensure no one ends up alone or lost. Plus there’s a curfew, she added.
Letting his little girl, the older of his two kids, head off to New York City solo felt a little daunting at first, Justin said, but he has confidence in his daughter’s savvy and the program’s guidelines.
“My first reaction to her spending two weeks alone in NYC was a bit jarring, but the way the New York Times has it set up and addresses safety has me calm,” he said, noting he’s taken Hannah to the Big Apple before and knows she’s comfortable in larger urban surroundings.
“New York is one of the safest cities in the world when you dive into the crime stats, and they are staying on campus at a university, which is where most of their studies are taking place.”
The two-week NYT program consists of two classes a day from lecturers considered experts in their fields, Hannah said.
While she’s enrolled in the creative-writing program, the NYT summer academy offers other programs focusing on different disciplines as well.
Hannah said she’s not going to know anyone else at her program, and she doesn’t expect to be mingling with just American students.
“They get people from all over the world,” she said, noting that will give her a chance to learn not only the instructors, but her fellow students as well.
“Really, I’m hoping to learn from the people who are there.”
She noted that the classes will not only help her to become a better writer, but the experience should offer some strong material for future writing.
Hannah’s hoping to do a little sightseeing when she’s in New York. She said the Museum of Modern Art is on her wish list, and a celebrity sighting or two wouldn’t go unappreciated.
Writing runs in the family
“I’m really proud of her and excited,” her father said.
Justin said Hannah comes by writing honestly. He’s been an active blogger and recognized for that work by parenting magazines, and he writes scripts for commercials in his job as production director at Joy FM in Fredericton.
“Hannah's mom has also dabbled in the blogging world as well so writing is something we share a love of,” he said.
Justin said if the GoFundMe campaign doesn’t reach its goal, the money raised will go to Hannah’s future education, but it certainly looks like things are on track to meet the target.
The GoFundMe isn’t the only fundraising effort underway to ensure Hannah makes it to the city so nice they named it twice. Justin said he’s selling prints to raise additional funds, and Hannah’s family is also holding a 50/50 draw.
Hannah said she had to include a sample of her writing with her application, and she chose a short story she penned set in the fantasy genre. It was written as part of a school assignment, she said, and it required writers to start the story in the middle.
Apparently, it caught the attention of those assessing the summer academy applications.
The experience could just be the first step toward Hannah’s ultimate goal - a future career in fiction, writing novels.
You can find Hannah’s GoFundMe campaign here.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.