By Cindy Adams

The sound of nervous pencil tapping echoed through Amanda Funkhouser’s classroom. She knew she had her work cut out for her. As a high school English teacher at enCircle's Wytheville Minnick School, she was familiar with slumped postures and blank stares, but she knew there was a story inside each one of her students. It was her job to help them find it.

One of the ways she inspires her students to transfer their story onto paper is to take part in an annual creative writing contest, sponsored by Young Writers. The organization, established in 1991, chooses an age-appropriate theme each year and invites students to write related mini sagas, up to 100 words, to be considered for the annual publication. The stories can be based on real life experiences or magical worlds. This year's theme, "Fright Club" was compelling to even the most hesitant writers in Amanda’s class.

One of those tentative writers was 16-year-old Evan. He insisted that he was not good at English, at least not before coming to Minnick. His teacher strongly disagrees.

"His creativity has blown my mind," said Amanda. "He is a rock star in English. His poetry is fantastic."

Another student, 15-year-old Will, has experienced such academic growth in Amanda's class that she is considering moving him into English Honors next year. His confidence has soared, and he wants to aim for an advanced diploma, a first at Minnick.

Amanda pushes her students. And they push back. But, in the end, every one of them has shown quantifiable academic growth and undeniable personal progress. And, now, every one of them is a published writer.

Once the editors at Young Writers select the stories that will be published in that year’s book, they notify the teachers. For the first time ever, 100% of the Minnick entries were chosen.

"They have risen above what I even thought was possible," Amanda said. "It makes them proud to be published. And, more importantly, they no longer hate writing."

When the students see their work printed on the pages of a book, they know their thoughts, their voices, their words matter. They found their stories. They are published.

The Man in the Mirror by William Mitchell

I woke up, but I don't remember falling asleep. I wonder where I am. I got out of bed and walked to the door. I looked down at my hands and saw them covered in red. I saw the door was further away than before. I started running and finally the door swung open, and I saw a bathroom. I looked around, and there was only a mirror. I moved over to it, looked into it, and saw someone behind me. The bathroom was clean, but it was like it was a hospital. I was out of my mind.

The Haunted Forest: The Ghost in the Darkness by Evan Hounshell

The night before Halloween in 1666, my kingdom's tribe was in the woods. It was the coldest night of the year. It got so dark; the world went pitch black. It felt so lonely. The only thing that I could see was the ghost in the darkness. I remember hearing stories telling me not to go near the woods or I would not make it out, but I didn't listen. I ran toward the ghost. Low and behold, they were right. I barely escaped with my life, but I was lost in the forest with the ghost in the darkness.