Riley Harding’s Capstone project grew from a lifelong love of writing into an ambitious

literary endeavor and, ultimately, a community-focused celebration of creative writing at Athens

Academy. Riley began the year intent on completing, revising, and publishing the first draft of her

fantasy novel, Sacred Myths. To strengthen her craft, she attended the Sewanee Young Writers’

Conference, where she connected with professional authors and a vibrant community of young

writers. A month later, she completed her full first draft and embarked on the intensive, deeply

personal process of revision with the support of mentors, classmates, and family.

As Riley immersed herself in the work of writing—drafting daily, attending multiple writing

retreats, and studying the publication process—she discovered a desire to broaden her project to

include others. Writing had long been a meaningful outlet in her own life, and she wanted to create

opportunities for her peers to experience that same creative spark. This realization shifted her

Capstone outward: she began sharing excerpts of her novel at school events, speaking with

students about the writing process, and brainstorming ways to cultivate a wider creative writing

culture on campus.

From this vision came a major expansion of the school’s Literary Magazine. Riley created a

series of themed writing prompts, opened multiple submission windows throughout the year, and

worked closely with faculty to encourage participation. Her outreach included presenting at Mid-

Morning Meeting, visiting English classes, and offering extra support for students interested in

submitting their work. These efforts resulted in a dramatic increase in engagement, with dozens of

students signing up for the editorial board and a surge of new writing submissions—particularly in

short fiction.

Riley also contributed to the writing community through direct instruction. She and her

mother co-taught a microfiction workshop for ninth graders, guiding students through playful

exercises, discussions of narrative voice, and rapid-fire writing sprints. Through these workshops

and classroom visits, Riley emphasized that writing is not just an academic skill, but a creative

outlet available to everyone.

While Riley continues revising Sacred Myths and preparing for eventual publication—

including drafting a query letter and researching literary agents—her Capstone project has already

made a lasting impact. She strengthened her identity as a writer, deepened her understanding of

storytelling, and most significantly, helped build a more vibrant, inclusive writing community at

Athens Academy. Her work ensures that future students will have more opportunities to write,

revise, share, and celebrate their stories.The Capstone Project is an opportunity for Upper School students to explore a passion via

four criteria: research, mentorship, experiential learning, and an outward contribution. Each

student submits a research paper detailing an aspect of the project, and they defend the project

before a committee of faculty and administrators, similar to a Ph.D. oral defense. Students whose

projects are approved by the committee receive the Capstone designation at commencement in

May.

Athens Academy is an independent, co-educational school for students in K3 through 12th

grade, located on a beautiful 152-acre campus in Northeast Georgia. Now in its 59th year, Athens

Academy pursues its mission of “excellence with honor” through academics, athletics, fine arts,

and service and leadership. Ranked the #1 private school in Athens, #7 private school in the state

of Georgia (out of 400+ schools), and #1 private school in North Georgia (Niche.com).

For more information, please contact Kelley Cuneo, communications director, at

[email protected] or 706-433-2410.