Writing rocks! That was the message conveyed by bestselling author and Palm Beach resident Mary Simses and celebrated by all at the opening of the Oxbridge Academy Writing & Reading Center on Jan. 30.
The center is one of a few of its kind among high schools in the state offering peer-to-peer tutoring.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held with the first group of 12 peer tutors, along with Head of School John Klemme and English teacher and center coordinator Meghan Gayton, faculty members, parents and other guests. Additionally, a demonstration was shown of the center’s technological capabilities, along with a viewing of a student-produced video to introduce the center to the student body.
Simses, the author of two bestselling novels, The Rules of Love & Grammar and The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Café, shared her journey to becoming an author and said that writing has been central to her success in her professional life as a journalist, attorney and fiction author. Simses’ daughter is also a talented writer and Oxford graduate.
The peer tutors are Paige Adams of West Palm Beach, Will Brodner of Jupiter, Alyson Brusie of Wellington, Cristina Casas of Wellington, Lily Jurskis of Jupiter, Jack Maloney of Delray Beach, Madison McAuliffe of West Palm Beach, Julia Raymond of West Palm Beach, Alice Reichfeld of Wellington, Asia Smith of Royal Palm Beach, Dani Sturm of Lake Worth and Tori Webster of North Palm Beach. They received training at Nova Southeastern University and from Jennifer Wells, director of writing at New College of Florida, author of The Successful High School Writing Center.
The Oxbridge Academy is located at 3151 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach. For more information, visit www.oapb.org or call (561) 972-9600.
ABOVE:Â Paige Adams, Jack Maloney, Lily Jurskis, Meghan Gayton, Head of School John Klemme, Mary Simses, Tori Webster, Alice Reichfeld, Cristina Casas and Julia Raymond.
