Andrew Holyfield

Hi everyone! My name is Andrew. I graduated Summa Cum Laude at UC Riverside in 2016, with a B.A. in Creative Writing. While there, I completed the Honors Program, published a thesis, was an editor for both the campus Research Journal and Honors Program literary journal, joined the Writing Program as a Teaching Assistant, and completed three MFA courses, all with a 4.0 GPA.

Tutoring started for me in the campus Writing Program, in which I tutored eighteen students per week. Around that same time, my younger brother, diagnosed with Aspergers, started college. I tutored him during his four-year journey to receive his Paraprofessional Certificate.

Nerdy as it sounds, I love Grammar and read often (in-between Netflix binges). Until my time at UC Riverside, I abhorred reading and preferred the trusty summaries from Spark Notes. I know English and writing can be both challenging and boring, but perhaps all a struggling student needs a little help and positive reinforcement. If that sounds like you or your kid, I'd love to help.

I’m a published songwriter with 20+ years experience in the music industry.

Write It, Say It!

Ages 7-10

Homework: YES! Students will need to work on writing pieces and also practicing delivering their writing to our audience! Students that find public speaking intimidating will be given easy warm-up exercises to start with like reciting a short poem or speech, describing a piece of art or telling us how to play a game. Public Speaking can be hard! It's best to practice early and frequently to move beyond this.

Class Description

Get ready to express yourself like never before! In Write It, Say It! students will build confidence as both writers and speakers through a fun, hands-on exploration of storytelling, delivering opinion pieces, and persuasive expression. Students can tackle fun and funny stories or opinions or take on more serious themes in this class, it’s up to them! Public speaking becomes easier and easier as they start to share their ideas, and also learn how to be a supportive audience.

Each week, students will dive into creative writing adventures, craft strong opinion pieces backed by reasons and examples, and deliver exciting informative speeches on topics they care about. From writing gripping narratives with characters and plot twists to standing up and presenting with clarity and confidence, students will grow in their communication skills in a supportive and encouraging environment.

We’ll play games that boost vocabulary and quick thinking, collaborate on short performances, and even host a mini "Writer & Speaker Showcase" at the end of the year to celebrate everyone's progress. Whether your child loves to write stories, has big opinions to share, or wants to become a more confident public speaker, this class helps them shine—on the page and the stage!

Skills Covered:

Writing clear opinion pieces with reasons and details
Creating structured informative speeches
Crafting imaginative and organized narratives
Speaking with expression, eye contact, and confidence
Peer feedback and revision strategies

Come ready to write, speak, laugh, and grow!

Contact

Andrew Holyfield

andrewjholyfield@gmail.com