On Wednesday, March 6, at 7 p.m., students and other writers in the community gathered together at Elgin Community College for Coffee House, an event where people can come and read their work aloud.

High school students, ECC students and other writers in the community who want to share and improve their work were in attendance that night.  

English professor Rachael Stewart is the brains behind Coffee House and has been holding this event at ECC since 2003. Stewart chose to start holding this specific event when the Writers Center was turned over to her.

“When I turned 30, the only thing I wanted to do besides be a mom, was to be a writer,” Stewart said. “The Writers Center was only a couple years old when they recruited me.”

She explained that Pat Parks, who was in charge of the Writers Center at the time, convinced her to go back to school and get her degree.  After that, he turned the Writers Center over to her, and that is when she started holding events like Coffee House at ECC to get writers out of their comfort zone and share their work.

Streamwood High School student Peyton McCaw came to Coffee House to hear other people’s work and get a feel of what it would be like to attend  ECC.

“I plan to go to ECC in the fall,” McCaw said. “I wanted to go to this event to hear people read their work and become comfortable with the atmosphere. I really enjoyed what people read and would love to come back the next time the event is held.”

Amber Boch, a second-year student from Harper College, was also in attendance.

“I attended the event in support of a friend who was reading her work,” Boch said. “I really enjoyed my time and the pieces that were read. I hope to go back again sometime. I was really surprised by how talented these writers were.”

Harrison Wiggins, a second-year ECC student, is one of the crucial pieces to putting these Writers Center events together.

“Ever since my first semester in 2017 [I’ve been attending these events],” Wiggins said. “As a part of my scholarship, I help put together Writers’ Center events. It’s pretty chill, [and] a very relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.”

Wiggins said that his favorite thing about the community that attends Coffee House is that they are very welcoming.

The community of writers that attended Coffee House was small, but the perfect place for new writers to share their work in a safe and encouraging space.