Last week, 19 youngsters in grades second through ninth attended a week-long summer workshop at Troy Elementary School entitled "Think! Write!"

The goal of the workshop was to teach and enhance writing skills by studying history from the 1800's to 1910.

The workshop is sponsored by the Wiregrass Writing Project.

TES teacher Tamara Harrington coordinated the week-long workshop and said the students were able to learn about history and improve their writing and thinking skills.

The students studied pioneers, Native Americans, African Americans and the United States government.

"They became more confident in their writing," she said.

"The also became more knowledgeable about the past."

On Friday, the teachers and students hosted a luncheon for their parents to showcase some of their work.

One of the goals of the workshop is to increase writing assessment scores and develop young authors.

Friday gave the young authors a chance to read what they had written about pioneers, themselves, their families and figures in history.

George Washington Carver, the son of slaves who became an educated and well-known inventor, was a popular topic.

Harrington said the works will be collected and bound in an anthology and mailed to each student.

Each student also received a certificate of achievement and a Think! Write! book bag.