He was reviewing college-application essays as part of the Write On! writing workshops at the downtown Durham County Library on Tuesday. Dominique and 18 other high school students were divided into four groups; his team represented the Tar Heels.

He said the submitted writing samples were too general.

"None of them said why they would be a good student in college," said Dominique, 16, a junior at Mount Zion Christian Academy.

The goal of the program -- operated by UNC's Writing Center -- is to make students more confident writers. After receiving a grant from the school last summer, officials wanted to operate in Durham because of the success of similar programs in urban environments, said Julie Wilson, a teaching assistant at the center.

The center normally works with UNC students to improve their writing, but Wilson believes working with middle and high school students can help them prepare for college. It also gives them a chance to think about their long-term education goals, she said.

The program also creates an opportunity for the library to reach teenagers, said young adult librarian Autumn Winters. Other plans include a teen advisory group, role playing and educational video games. With few places to hang out, the library should be a place where adolescents feel at home and able to learn, Winters said.

Students published their writings in the first workshop, which concluded in May, and are now working on the mechanics of writing, such as grammar, developing an argument and introductory paragraphs. The seven-week program champions itself as a writers' group that uses tutors as writing coaches, said Kristal Moore, a writing center teaching assistant.

"The beauty of this program is that we have students from all different backgrounds," Moore said. "We have students who are home-schooled, we have students who go to the charter schools, public schools, private schools. They all come here, ready to work."

Malcolm Burns never thought about writing poetry before attending the spring workshops. He thought poetry was for people with nothing else to do.

Now he puts pen to paper about three times a week.

"When I read it, I can't believe I wrote something like that," said Malcolm, 15, a sophomore at Mount Zion Christian Academy.