There are many talented writers at South, and Makena Froebel is no exception. She writes anything from poetry to short narratives and describes writing as a part of her identity. Froebel has never had to force herself to be a writer, rather she writes naturally as a part of her routine. “I always kept a journal, [becoming a writer] happened really organically. I never decided that I wanted to write, I never really decided I wanted to do anything. I just started doing it [writing], and then it just became part of my routine,” the sophomore writer recalled.

Frobel enjoys including social justice and events that shape her life into her works. “Any event that happens, any human experience I think should be recorded, processed and felt,” she expressed.

But Frobel also emphasizes that her writing should be genuine and that she has to be careful not to take advantage of emotions. “Something that my mom told me that I really took to heart was that you have to write the good things too, it’s so easy to produce sad work,” she articulated.

Frobel likes to write every day but doesn’t attend any formal writing groups instead, she relys on fellow writers for support and feedback. She has even collaborated with Gwen Paguyl on a poem. “We wrote a poem about sexism for one of our projects. We had a list of things where rappers talk about sexism and normalize it,” Paguyl explained. The two took turns reciting stanzas that they had each written.

In addition to writing poetry together, both Frobel and Paguyl were part of an organization called True Art Speaks’ poetry slam last year. “We won but we didn’t go into nationals because we eventually got disqualified for not being able to make it to one of the events,” Paguyl enthused.

While many students do not get to bring their hobbies and interests into school work, Frobel is fortunate enough to do so with her writing. She explained that she had this idea for a while that inhibited her ability to be open in her writing for school, unitl she let her writing expand. “I can’t be real in my english class because it’s school, but actually, I’ve written some things for school that I’m really proud of, like some good essays,” interpreted Frobel.

She went on to say that the process of opening her writing up more in school has been an extremley healthy transition for her which made her a better writer. Frobel isn’t the only one who has recognized this.

Elizabeth Hanson, Frobel’s current english teacher, believes that she is one of the strongest writers in class and that she simply has a way with words. “At the beginning of the year she wrote about the women in her family and what it means to be not just a woman in society, but a woman in her family. It was probably one of the best things I have ever read not just by a tenth grader, but by a student,” Hanson shared.

Frobel prefers not to limit herself as a writer and freely shapes and forms her writing as it comes to her, without rushing the process. “I just write and then it just comes out as what it is and if I read it at a slam, then I read it as a slam and if I turn it into an essay and write it for school then thats what I do. [Her writing] manifests itself in a lot of  different ways. Ultimately, it’s just writing, it’s just words it doesn’t necessarily have to take some sort of shape or some sort of really specific format,” writer, Frobel says.

Although Frobel isn’t published, she has certainly had success with writing within her own life. At this time she feels that she is interested in so many things that it is unclear whether or not she will pursue a writing career in her future. However, one thing is clear, many who view her writing know that Makena Frobel is a powerful writer who can do create great pieces with her words.