EICS student Bailey Trela created the winning design for this year’s Young Authors’ Conference logo contest—open to grades 7-12 students in EIPS and EICS. The contest created another avenue for students to get involved.
Sherwood Park, AB. — More than 400 young authors are tapping into inspiration and finding their voices at the 33rd annual Young Authors’ Conference on April 13. “This year’s theme is ‘Finding my Story,’” says Kristen Rosato, the Elementary Literacy and Social Studies Consultant at Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS). “You can tell a story many different ways—writing, drawing, music, comedy, photography, game development—the list is never-ending. We’re excited to have presenters from various industries help students find their story and imagine the way they want to tell it.”
The Young Authors’ Conference is a long-standing collaborative event that welcomes students from both EIPS and Elk Island Catholic Schools (EICS) for a fun-filled day of storytelling. Throughout the day, students hone their skills in writing fluency, idea generation, illustration, expression and communication. Participants are grouped into two streams—grades 4 to 6 and grades 7 to 9—and attend three breakout sessions led by authors, illustrators and other professionals in the field who share their knowledge, industry know-how and life lessons to encourage students.
New this year, K-12 students in both EIPS and EICS will be able to watch a livestream event where award-winning author David A. Robertson will be discussing his book On the Trapline. The event takes place the day before the conference—April 12. Students will also be able to attend virtual sessions on the conference day itself to watch and learn from home. “We wanted everyone to be able to take part in this fantastic opportunity,” adds Rosato. “By offering several virtual options, more students get the chance to hear from these amazing guest speakers.”
Robertson will be the keynote author among a diverse and talented group of presenters. Authors Marty Chan and Karen Spafford-Fitz will dive into the world of superheroes and villains. Similarly, Kathy Jessup will explore creating great characters. Rita Feutl will provide tips for writing realistic dialogue, Sigmund Brower will teach students about plot twists and Gail Sidonie Sobat will delve into world-building. Regarding genre, Lorna Schultz-Nicholson will speak about writing non-fiction, while Mandie Frey will emphasize the power of poetry. Lisa Lypowy and Joan Marie Galat will also offer sessions from their experiences with storytelling.
Judith Graves, Tamara Martin-Spady and Mike Boldt will give their insight from being both authors and illustrators. Gary Delainey and Gerry Rasmussen will draw from their experiences as cartoonists, and students interested in the stage can hear from playwrights Jonathan Ewing, Amelia Newstead and Tyler Enfield. Gord Steinke will share a journalist’s perspective, and Linda Hoang will talk about her life as a blogger and social media influencer. Kristopher Marks will bring his expertise as a public speaker, musician, comedian and podcaster, while John Epler will speak on his career as a game developer at BioWare—a studio known for the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series. Many sessions will include imaginative exercises to inspire young authors in their own literary pursuits.
The Young Authors’ Conference is an inter-division event sponsored by EIPS and EICS. Special thanks to the organizing committee, volunteers and presenters. More information about the conference is available on the EIPS website.
Elk Island Public Schools is one of Alberta’s largest school divisions, serving approximately 17,750 students in 42 schools. We are proud to be an integral part of our communities, including Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan, Vegreville, Strathcona and Lamont counties, and the western portion of the County of Minburn.
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For more information, media can contact:
Laura McNabb, Director, Communication Services, EIPS 780-417-8204 cell 780-405-4902