Since 1993, the Tickner Writing Center has served the community of Gilman School by conducting one-on-one essay consultations, coordinating literary events, and hosting a writer-in-residence. Gilman is among the fortunate few high schools in the United States to have a tradition of offering the resource of a Writing Center to its students. Thanks to the generosity of the Class of 1993, the Writing Center honors the legacy of long-time Gilman English teacher, Reg Tickner.
The Writing Center consists of two permanent English faculty members in addition to the Tickner Writing Fellow and roughly 40 extensively trained student Writing Consultants. These talented students offer their time and expertise toward the improvement of their peers’ writing. The Writing Center helps Gilman students compose their very best essays for history, English and religion courses, while also work-shopping short stories, poetry, and college application essays. Also, the Director of the Writing Center conducts the annual search to award the Tickner Writing Fellowship, a prestigious position which attracts nearly 100 applicants each year. This position intends to supply an emerging writer with the time and resources necessary to advance a promising literary career. In addition to teaching one senior elective in Creative Writing per semester, the Tickner Fellow coordinates the A. J. Downs Writers at Work Reading Series, through which invited writers give a reading of their work to the Upper School and visit classes for a day. Details regarding the application for the Tickner Writing Fellowship appear on the AWP Job List.
The most recent addition to the Writing Center is the Class of 1976 Publications Room, a state-of-the art facility, which supports the newspaper, yearbook, and literary magazine. Ably staffed by Cesare Ciccanti, the Publications Room enhances the students’ skills at desk-top publishing, their ability to work together, and their pride in high quality publications.