Beginning Monday, June 22, the Merry Barn Writers’ Retreat will launch a host of online offerings via Zoom for all ages. We have programs for kids ages 8-13; workshops for teens on college essay writing and the common application; a Creativity, Self-Care, and Reflection Group for Educators; and Writing from the Heart, an adult writing workshop with Elizabeth Potter. In an effort to balance the health and safety of our community, while remaining true to our mission to “cultivate creativity, curiosity, and community,” the Merry Barn has reworked its offerings to provide engaging and interactive online experiences. We believe that creativity, self-expression, and connection are ever more important during this unprecedented time!

Week-long camps, including Wondrous Words (June 22-26), A Sense of Place: Nature Writing & Art (July 20-24), and Gutsy Girls and Wise Women (Aug. 3-6), will meet daily from 9 a.m. to noon. New this summer are two day-long, single focus camps: Creating Graphic Novels (June 30) and Nature Writing & Art (July 1). These camps will meet from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Financial assistance is available.

Also new this year is the inaugural Merry Barn Young Readers’ Book Group, designed for enthusiastic readers ages 9-13. This group will meet one afternoon a week for seven weeks to share our love of books and authors. Participants will read or listen to the week’s selection prior to the Zoom meeting, and come ready to share their thoughts. 

In a partnership with Coastal College Advising, the Merry Barn is pleased to offer workshops designed to help students entering their senior year get a solid leg-up on the college admissions process. With years of experience as a dean of admissions, and high school college counselor, Kristen Pett will help students navigate the college admissions process in these new uncharted waters. The College Essay Workshop will be held Aug. 10-12. The Common Application Boot Camp will be held Aug. 14-15. 

Writing from the Heart -- Finding Your Authentic Voice, with Elizabeth Potter, is a workshop for adult writers. This is an opportunity to get the creative juices flowing, overcome the internal critic, and let heart and soul flow out onto the page! The workshop also provides a tight knit, supportive community of fellow writers with whom to share the fruits of your labor. Poet and teacher Elizabeth Potter will present techniques to tickle your muse and coax even the most hesitant voice onto the page. Sessions meet via Zoom on Monday evenings from 5-8 p.m., June 15 through July 6.

We recognize that these past months have required even more from dedicated educators. They have connected with students and families, designed and implemented meaningful instruction in a virtual environment, and taken care of their own families. The Creativity, Self-Care, and Reflection Group for Educators will be a space where educators can connect, reflect, practice self-care, and reimagine together what teaching and learning will look like moving forward. This group will meet every two weeks from mid-July through mid-August. 

Family Circus at the Merry Barn! If you’ve ever wanted to learn to learn to juggle, there’s never been a better time! Join Liz Giles-Brown, of Learning on the Move, outdoors at the Merry Barn for an hour of fun, laughter, and learning. In addition to juggling, choose from other circus skills including spinning plates and flower sticks. Flexible scheduling is by reservation only, with three “rings” or learning spaces available. Each accommodates a family/household without need for physical distancing. This program meets outside at the Merry Barn.

Individual descriptions and registration information are available at www.merrybarn.com or via email: stephaniemcsherry@merrybarn.com