This summer, sophomore English teacher Amy Jo O’Dubhaigh has a unique opportunity to attend a writers workshop in Scotland from July 8th to July 13th. This trip will help with professional development in her field and will allow her to incorporate new strategies of teaching into her classroom. The workshop will be hosted by New York Times best selling author Maggie Stiefvater, in the Dalnaglar Castle that is 6.0 kilometers south of Edinburgh, Scotland. 

While the trip serves as a writing retreat and workshop, the emphasis will focus on the guests’ revision on their personal writing. During the workshop the students will work on improving their writing in all their elements of fiction, and they will also gain some insight into the next steps of their writing journeys, (finding agents, publishers, and the publishing process etc.). 

The participants in this prestigious workshop are hand chosen through past activities they have participated in with Ms. Stiefvater. The author reached out to Ms. O’Dubhaigh to invite her to attend.  Fifteen people have been invited to stay at this castle for one week, however, Ms. O’Dubhaigh will be staying one additional week to further explore the wonders of Scotland and will return on July 19th.