Rolling enrollment open. Courses prorated.
Explore now.Attention, non-writers (and writers)!! This extraordinary creative writing course is specifically designed for you! We explore the world of creative writing in a way that is fun, approachable, and free from stress. Whether you consider yourself a reluctant writer or an enthusiastic storyteller, this course will equip you with the tools to make writing accessible, less intimidating, and give you the confidence to take your storytelling to the next level.
This course is not currently being offered. Please check back later or explore our other available courses.
Young storytellers, this course is for you! In Story Building we explore the foundational elements that make any story come alive.
Through games, activities, and collaborative creation, students explore characters, setting, conflict, and resolution. They craft original stories, develop imaginative characters, and see how an idea grows into something wonderful.
With a playful, low-pressure approach designed for young learners, this course nurtures creativity, vocabulary, listening skills, and the joy of sharing your unique voice. It is perfect for ages 5 to 7 who love make-believe, books, and all things imaginative.
How a child feels about writing at age five, six, or seven often shapes how they approach it for years. This course makes writing feel fun, achievable, and worth doing. Parents tell us their kids start writing stories at home and asking to share them, which is exactly the kind of early confidence that pays off all through school.
When young children learn to build a story, they are also learning to organize their thoughts, sequence events, and express ideas clearly. Those are the same executive function skills that mentors look for in every subject. Your child builds them here through play and creative expression, not worksheets.
YSA is a UC-registered online publisher and WASC-accredited Supplementary Education Center, which means our courses can count toward official college credit requirements. State schools can recognize the courses your student takes here, adding real legitimacy to your homeschooling journey or building on top of your student's existing transcript. That opens up two ways to enroll: For Credit -- Your student earns official, accredited credit toward their transcript. For-credit students complete weekly assignments that build toward their transcript grade. Outside-of-class work ranges from 1-2 hours per week. Perfect for families who want documentation that reflects what their child is actually capable of -- to show the world how brilliant they are. For Enrichment -- Your student takes the very same course purely for the love of learning. No grades, no outside-of-class work, no credit attached. Just the content, the community, and the growth. Same course. Same mentor. Same experience in class. You choose what fits your family.
If you homeschool, this works seamlessly. If your student attends another school full time, we create a report card and transcript that we share with you, and you share with the school. It is up to your primary school to accept it and add it to your student's official transcript.
Develop their unique writing voice with thoughtful feedback from a mentor who takes their ideas seriously 
Build the craft of clear, compelling communication through projects they actually care about and want to work on 
Share their work with a supportive group of peers who offer genuine feedback, building both writing skill and creative confidence 
Grow as a thinker and communicator in ways that show up in school essays, college applications, and everyday self-expression 
Ms. Jackson I've been teaching theatre for 26 years and I was also a children's performer for ten of those years. I own a theatre program and I put on a show after every 20 hours of instruction (almost 60 shows in six years!). I believe EVERYONE needs and wants to be creative and expressive. Sydney Clemens says "Art has the role in education of helping children become like themselves instead of more like everyone else" and my goal is to allow students a safe place to explore and shine and comfortably be themselves.
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING
Parents don't just see happier kids. They see sharper thinking, stronger friendships, and a child who actually wants to log on.
★★★★★
"My son used to say he had no ideas. Ms. Jackson helped him build whole worlds, and now the stories pour out of him."
Odalys V.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Ms. Jackson taught my daughter how a real story is put together, and her confidence as a writer took off."
Katarina D.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son used to say he had no ideas. Ms. Jackson helped him build whole worlds, and now the stories pour out of him."
Odalys V.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Ms. Jackson taught my daughter how a real story is put together, and her confidence as a writer took off."
Katarina D.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Building characters with Ms. Jackson turned storytelling into my kid's favorite part of the week."
Roland B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My reluctant writer actually asks to work on his story between sessions now. Ms. Jackson made that happen."
Selene M.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Building characters with Ms. Jackson turned storytelling into my kid's favorite part of the week."
Roland B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My reluctant writer actually asks to work on his story between sessions now. Ms. Jackson made that happen."
Selene M.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Ms. Jackson gives every idea room to grow, so my perfectionist finally stopped scrapping her drafts."
Imani T.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Watching my son plot twists and endings with Ms. Jackson has been a joy. He is so proud of what he creates."
Byron L.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Ms. Jackson gives every idea room to grow, so my perfectionist finally stopped scrapping her drafts."
Imani T.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Watching my son plot twists and endings with Ms. Jackson has been a joy. He is so proud of what he creates."
Byron L.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son used to say he had no ideas. Ms. Jackson helped him build whole worlds, and now the stories pour out of him."
Odalys V.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Ms. Jackson taught my daughter how a real story is put together, and her confidence as a writer took off."
Katarina D.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Building characters with Ms. Jackson turned storytelling into my kid's favorite part of the week."
Roland B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My reluctant writer actually asks to work on his story between sessions now. Ms. Jackson made that happen."
Selene M.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Ms. Jackson gives every idea room to grow, so my perfectionist finally stopped scrapping her drafts."
Imani T.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Watching my son plot twists and endings with Ms. Jackson has been a joy. He is so proud of what he creates."
Byron L.
YSA parent
If you’re not 100% in love with the course, you have options depending on how you enrolled:
You can switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit or get a credit to use toward a future course.
You can either get credit toward a future course, switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit, or stop all future payments after a 30-day processing period.
No risk. No stress. Just the learning and belonging you have been looking for.
We can offer this because we know what we do works for thousands of other families. Kids become more self-confident. They find their people. And families tell us this is the place where their student finally feels welcome. We know it will work for your family, too.
All-Access Passes have separate terms and conditions. Please see the All-Access Pass pages.
It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway... to qualify for the satisfaction guarantee policy, you have to actually attend the classes. This is not a cancellation policy. It’s a satisfaction guarantee. You can’t be satisfied or dissatisfied if you don’t attend.
Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that offers one-of-a-kind, engaging enrichment courses and community for 5-18-year-old bright, quirky kids to empower them to develop their strengths, make like-minded friends, cultivate life skills, build confidence, and feel great about themselves under the loving care of expert mentors. description2: >- Picture a place where your child fits in, is celebrated, mentored, and loves learning the unique content their beautiful brain craves. That happens every day at YSA for over 1,200+ families, and it can happen for your family, too.
WASC Accredited · 1,200+ Families · 93% Re-Enroll · 47+ States, 17 Countries, 6 Continents
Learn more about YSAQUESTIONS ABOUT THIS COURSE
Everything you need to know before enrolling your child.
Many of our strongest writing students started as reluctant writers. The difference is topic choice and audience. When a gifted kid writes about something they actually care about, for peers who share their interests, the resistance disappears. Our mentors create a safe space where your child writes freely, gets constructive feedback, and builds confidence in their voice.
Yes. YSA families join from 47+ states and 17 countries across 6 continents. All you need is an internet connection. We schedule sections across multiple time zones so families worldwide can find a time that works.
Creative Writing meets once per week for 50 minutes, every week from August through December. Your child joins the same tight-knit group of up to 6 students and the same mentor all semester long. Same friends, same mentor, a new challenge every week.
Our gifted and 2e students experience such asynchronous development that hard age limits rarely tell the full story. If your student should be aged up or aged down, contact us at support@youngscholarsacademy.org or click the chat in the bottom right corner of the screen. We do this all the time.
Please don't confuse reactive distance learning with what happens at YSA. When a kid is engaged in a course they chose, with a mentor who gets them and peers who share their interests, the screen disappears. They're not on a screen. They're with their people. Parents tell us their children fight to log on to YSA.
If your child isn't loving a course by the end of the first week, swap into a different course. Same semester. No questions. Not the right fit within the first month? We'll stop payments, switch courses, or issue credit toward any future course. The credit never expires. And you keep every bonus you've received. Over 93% of YSA families don't just stay. They add more courses.
No. Cameras are always optional. Always. Many of our students start with cameras off and turn them on when they're comfortable. Our mentors engage every student equally, cameras on or off.
No. If you're here, you're in the right place. We don't require paperwork, evaluations, or labels. Whether your child has been formally identified as gifted or twice-exceptional, whether you suspect it but haven't pursued testing, or whether you just know your kid's brain works differently and nothing else has fit, they're welcome here.
Yes. YSA is an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs including Arizona ESA, Utah Fits All, ClassWallet, My Tech High, Florida Step Up, and others. Enroll directly to secure your child's spot, submit the invoice to your ESA, and your payment method is refunded when funds transfer. Many families pay zero out of pocket.
Click "See Available Times" on this page, pick the section that fits your schedule, and your child's spot is secured immediately. No phone call. No placement test. No prerequisite.
Right now, a kid who thinks like your kid is in a course they chose, with a mentor who was once just like them, surrounded by friends who don't think they're weird... they think they're interesting.
Your child is one click from finding out what that feels like.
Internet connection and can-do-attitude!