By Jessica Davis, JTNews Correspondent
This summer, 18-year-old poet Elsa Pollack, a recent graduate of The Center School, is finishing up a busy year as Richard Hugo House’s youth writer-in-residence.
Pollock has been involved with Hugo House since 2000, when her eighth-grade writing teacher gave her an application to Scribes, an annual summer intensive writing workshop for teens. She has been participating in the program ever since, and is now a youth director of the program.
Richard Hugo House was established in 1997 as a nonprofit literary arts center that offers classes, programs and events encouraging the development of writing.
“It’s a place that pushed my writing to the next level, and it could do that for other people,” she said.
In January, Pollack was selected as youth writer-in-residence. In this new position, now in its second year, she is responsible for mentoring teen writers and curating programs such as writing workshops for youth. She has also learned about making contacts in the community. Pollack visits schools and community centers to spread the word about all of the programs that Hugo House offers.
“I’ve had to step up to being a leader,” she said. “That’s something you don’t get out of school.”
Pollack recalled recently visiting with some writers at White Center’s community center, and helping them with their writing.
“I think the thing I like most is definitely going out into the community,” said Pollack.
Judaism provides an outlet that works for her as well, she said. “It’s really important to provide community whether it be through religion or through writing.”
Pollack said it was sometimes challenging being raised with a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother. When she was in ninth grade, she found herself attending synagogue on Saturdays and church on Sundays.
“I needed to write,” said Pollack. “My writing reflected my strong connection to Judaism.”
Through Hugo House, Pollack taught poetry at her high school every other week. She has also been involved in the mentoring program for a year, where she meets a mentor once a week to learn about how to write in short-story form.
Pollack has enjoyed meeting writers around Seattle. She said it has been especially fun getting to know writers at Stage Fright, a monthly open mic for ages 14-24. Everyone is encouraged to say something, even if it is just an introduction or a funny story, said Pollack.
At a recent open mic, a man attended who said he had nothing to read, and ended up telling about how one of his friends was killed in Iraq, recalled Pollack.
“It was a nice experience,” she said.
That evening, there was extra food left over and several of the writers made sandwiches to hand out to those in need on Capitol Hill. Pollack gave a sandwich to a man who in turn told her some jokes.
“I’ve been able to do so many things,” Pollack said about her experience with Hugo House.
“The people I work with here, that makes it the most enjoyable,” she said. “Everyone who works here is secretly an amazing writer.”
In August, Pollack, who was born and raised in Seattle, will move to New York to attend The New School University in downtown Manhattan.
“You walk around and it seems like there’s always someone doing something,” said Pollack about what drew her to New York. “No matter what, I would see any kind of person there is to see.”
Although Pollack would like to maintain a focus on advancing her writing, she is unsure of what direction she will take in her studies. She also mentioned that she is interested in medicine and a career in teaching.
“I’ve been able to realize more aspects of myself through Hugo House,” she said. “Definitely when I come back to Seattle there will be people I want to see.”
Hugo House is at 1634 11th Ave. on Seattle’s Capitol Hill, between Pine and Olive Streets. For more information, visit www.hugohouse.org or call 206-322-7030.