Illuminate what matters. Electrify debate. Burn through boundaries.
About The Spark
We publish nonfiction and rhetorical compositions on a wide variety of topics and in a range of forms. Based in Singapore, an island nation that scintillates with different languages, cultures, beliefs, traditions, and ethnicities, The Spark reflects our diversity while amplifying our individual voices. These works respond to relevant issues in culture, society, politics, and daily life, allowing our readers to see the world in a new light.
We update regularly to bring you back again and again. As next-generation writers and thinkers, we believe our passion, our anger, and our hope can spark something in you.
About the Course
Established in 2023, Advanced Topic Nonfiction and Rhetoric at Singapore American School was developed to encourage students who are passionate about writing, rhetoric, and truth to deepen their skills in writing and speaking while collaborating on digital and print publications. The course is designed to challenge students already skilled in the area of Language Arts to put their talents to work in authentic, real-world situations, and to learn from each other and working writers in the community how to use their words to change the world.
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The story of AT Rhetoric began about four years ago with a student named Declan Sheehan. After completing AP Lang, Declan felt like there was so much more he wanted to explore about nonfiction writing and rhetoric beyond what the AP curriculum demanded, so he secured support for a course proposal from his English teacher, Kelly Nash. Together, they pitched their idea for a new advanced course that, after years of development and with the input of several English teachers, has finally launched this year. (You can read more about Declan’s journey here).
The AT Rhetoric class is an intersection of diverse students. From MUN captains to varsity athletes, the class roll call uttered names you might not expect to be in the same breath, the camaraderie we came to develop was catalyzed through the ATNFR retreat.
The setting is Telunas Beach Resort, Indonesia. Ms. Pate, our teacher, took the opportunity to bring the entire class together in a weekend-long writing retreat. Amidst the introspective writing activities and competitive volleyball matches, we began cultivating a class culture built on the shared experiences and laughter on the trip.
In just a few short months, our group of writers has produced more than 30 pieces that are ready to publish. We began the year by critically responding to celebrated essayists, unearthing the motivations and modern connections we examined in Rebecca Solnit’s The Best American Essays 2019. And then we shifted to student-generated form and content criteria for an in-depth study of the meaning, history and implications of words. Whether we are redefining a word in your mother tongue, or dissecting the rage of the incels, ATNFR provides a platform for creative discourse.
In our essays, we explore unique insight into open-ended prompts, present comprehensive analysis of profound texts or events, and issue provoking opinion pieces that we hope challenge the notions of our audience.
Our Process
We, in AT Rhetoric, are grateful to build on the excellent work that AT Writing and Publication (ATWP), our advanced creative writing course, has created over the last seven years, transforming the writing classroom into a student-driven workshop that prizes writers who take risks and who work to establish their distinct writing voice. Students in these classes are responsible not only for their own work, but must also collaborate on teams who innovate together, reach consensus and support each other’s growth.
Our publication process begins when writers finish their pieces and send them to our Copyediting Team, who refine grammar and conventions, abiding by a set of established guidelines that they developed by consensus to ensure a consistent, high-quality publication.
The Copyediting Team then forwards these polished pieces to the Design Team, who have constructed our webpage, which we hope enhances our reader’s experience through relevant visuals, intuitive navigation, and an aesthetic layout. The website serves both as a platform for debate, as well as a place where the audience can reach out to the team and provide areas for improvement.
Lastly, our Marketing Team pushes the essays out to you, alerting you to updates and new publications. Their goal is to create a relationship with you, meeting your expectations and needs, and gathering information about what issues matter to you, our readers.
For more information about the teams, visit this page.
We recognize the benefits of collaboration:
“We were born for cooperation, like feet, like hands, like eyelids, like the rows of upper and lower teeth. So to work in opposition to one another is against our nature”
- Mediations, Marcus Aurelius