More than 400 young authors tapped into inspiration and found their voices at the 33rd annual Young Authors’ Conference hosted by Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) on April 13.
The theme of this year’s event was “Finding my Story.”
“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.” said Kristen Rosato, the division’s elementary literacy and social studies consultant.
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 were able to watch a livestreamed event where award-winning author David A. Robertson discussed his book On the Trapline. The event took place the day before the conference — April 12. Students were also 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,” added Rosato. “By offering several virtual options, more students got the chance to hear from these amazing guest speakers.”
Varied lineup
Robertson was the keynote author among a diverse and talented group of presenters. Authors Marty Chan and Karen Spafford-Fitz dove into the world of superheroes and villains. Similarly, Kathy Jessup explored creating great characters. Rita Feutl provided tips for writing realistic dialogue, Sigmund Brouwer taught students about plot twists and Gail Sidonie Sobat delved into world-building.
Regarding genre, Lorna Schultz Nicholson spoke about writing non-fiction, while Mandie Frey emphasized the power of poetry. Lisa Lypowy and Joan Marie Galat also offered sessions from their experiences with storytelling.
Judith Graves, Tamara Martin Spady and Mike Boldt gave their insight from being both authors and illustrators. Gary Delainey and Gerry Rasmussen drew from their experiences as cartoonists, and students interested in the stage heard from playwrights Jonathan Ewing, Amelia Newstead and Tyler Enfield. Gord Steinke shared a journalist’s perspective, and Linda Hoang talked about her life as a blogger and social media influencer. Kristopher Marks brought his expertise as a public speaker, musician, comedian and podcaster, while John Epler spoke on his career as a game developer at BioWare — a studio known for the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series. Many sessions included imaginative exercises to inspire young authors in their own literary pursuits. ❚
Laura McNabb is the director of communication services for Elk Island Public Schools.
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