2019 Foothills Young Authors' Conference
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Holy Trinity Academy 338072 - 32 St. E, Okotoks AB T1S 1A2
Cover art courtesy of Crystal Salamon
Student Handbook
Grade 6 - 9 Table of Contents
Conference Schedule Page 3
Keynote Speaker — David Bouchard Page 4
Workshop Presenters Page 5
Mo Armfinnigan Page 5 Karon Argue Page 5 Lorna Bennett Page 5 Marty Chan Page 6 James Grasdal Page 6 Jacqueline Guest Page 6 Tim Huesken Page 7 Dawn Ius Page 7 Troy Kohol Page 7 Amelia Lionheart Page 7 Jan Markley Page 8 Lorna Schultz Nicholson Page 8 David A. Poulsen Page 8 Susan Raby-Dunne Page 9 Gerry Rasmussen Page 9 Crystal Salamon Page 9 Terry Siqueira Page 9 Shirlee Smith Matheson Page 9 Gail Sidonie Sobat Page 10 Jennifer Stables Page 11 Suzy Vadon Page 11 Michelle Warkentin Page 11 Writers' Workshop: Page 12 Sigmund Brouwer, Natasha Deen, Janet Gurtler French Immersion Presentation (David Bouchard) Page 13 Parent Information Page 14 Workshop Selection Forms Page 15
2 Conference Schedule Morning 8:30 - 9:00 a.m. Student Check-in (at your school’s registration table) 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Keynote Speaker David Bouchard — For All Students 10:00 - 10:15 a.m. Break 10:15 - 11:30 a.m. Workshop Session #1 11:30 - 12:15 p.m. Lunch Afternoon 12:15 - 1:30 p.m. Workshop Session #2 1:30 - 1:45 p.m. Break 1:45 - 3:00 p.m. Workshop Session #3 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Bookstore Shopping & Presenter Autographs 4:00 p.m. Conference Concludes
Foothills Young Authors’ Conference is made possible by the generous support of Foothills School Division, Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools, Rotary Club of Okotoks, and many other local businesses and community organizations.
Thanks also to the entire volunteer organizing committee for making this opportunity available to budding writers and artists in their schools!
Cover Artwork
We wish to thank Crystal Salamon for designing the cover artwork for our 2019 student handbooks and bags!
3 Keynote Speaker
David Bouchard-Author
Our future lies in your hands... Syria. Venezuela. Haiti. The world seems to be in a state of turmoil. There is hope and it lies in your hands. Mental illness and global warning are challenges that you can overcome through your individual and group integrity... Read about it. Live it. Write about it. You matter and can change the world.
Champion for Literacy/Advocate for children "An acclaimed author of children's books, David Bouchard is also a champion of literacy. This former teacher and school principal has written more than 70 books in English, in French and in several Indigenous languages. Many combine poetry, prose and visual arts, and explore topics such as the environment, history and the traditions and cultures of Canada's Indigenous communities. A storyteller and sought after public speaker, David has traveled across the country to promote the importance and joy of reading and writing. In his presentations to students, parents and educators, he addresses his own struggles with dyslexia. Proud of his Métis heritage, he is a former president of the Métis Nation of Greater Victoria and continues to serve as a community leader." ~ from the investiture ceremony of the Order of Canada, 2009. David Bouchard's books have won several awards including a Gold Medal in the 2008 Moonbeam Award for I am Raven, the 2004 Governor General's Award for The Song Within My Heart, the 1999 Red Cedar Award for The Great Race and the 1997 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award for Voices from the Wild. An Aboriginal Carol was included in the 2008 White Ravens Catalogue. If You’re not from the Prairie was on McLean’s list of the top 20 Children’s books in the history of Canada. In April 2009, Bouchard was named as a Member of the Order of Canada "for his contributions as an author of children's books and an advocate who has championed the cause of reading and writing, and who has shared his pride as a member of the Métis community through his stories." In 2013, David was honoured when the David Bouchard Public School in Oshawa opened its doors. In 2017, David was again honoured by Queen’s University where he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Law. David lives in Victoria, British Columbia, with his wife Vicki and their daughter Victoria. In December 2018, their family grew by one with the arrival of Izabell Bouchard. You can access his web page at www.davidbouchard.com
4 Workshop Presenters
Diggin’ Up Bones — Mo Armfinnigan The love of a good story is a universal human trait. Assuming that creative power and imagination lives within each one of us, it is important that we find ways to express it. Join Mo as he shares various strategies regarding the preservation and growth of the imagination. Learn how to free yourself to write boldly and without fear. "Dig Up" the writer that lives within and discover the joy of a life lived creatively.
Mo has called southern Alberta home for the past 40 years, and taught elementary school in Claresholm until his retirement in 2008. He and his brother began writing Adventures With Ploox (as the Brothers Armfinnigan)in 1981. The first book in the trilogy, Risks, Wrecks and Roughnecks, was published in 2011 and was awarded the Golden Eagle Children's Choice Book Award. The second book, The Way South, was published in the spring of 2013. In 2015 the trilogy was completed with the launch of the third book, When Ploox Was King. Visit Mo at: www.facebook.com/thebrothersarmfinnigan/
See Things Differently - Karon Argue
Karon will be taking students through the process of creating characters and settings to bring your stories to life. We’ll do it with a twist. You’ll get to see what she sees!
Sometimes seeing things a little differently can motive us to try something new. Karon Argue is a graphic designer and local area Author / Illustrator who lost most of her vision in 2010. With help of the CNIB and technology she continues to pursue her passion for art. Equipped with pencil crayons and ink pens Karon enjoys sharing her process of creating colorful, quirky characters. Her children’s book, The Smooch and paintings can be found at karonargue.com.
Let’s Create Characters — Lorna Bennett
Do you love to draw? Then come on out to Lorna's session and practice your creative drawing skills. Draw along with Lorna, learn some illustration pointers, and discover how to create your own new, one-of-a-kind characters!
Lorna Bennett was born in Edmonton, AB and attended MacEwan College (now University)and the University of Alberta, studying the Arts and Fine Arts. She has been a ski instructor, writer, fine artist, animator, designer and illustrator. Currently, Lorna mainly illustrates picture books, book covers, greeting cards and educational materials. She also works as a staff artist on the wards at the University of Alberta Hospital two days per week, bringing art to the bedside of adult patients. Visit Lorna’s website at www.lornabennett.net
5 Thrill Your Readers — Marty Chan
Keep your readers on the edge of their seats. Learn how to come up with a story designed to scare your friends. Marty will share his secret of writing a thriller.
Marty Chan writes books for kids and plays for adults. His latest book is Shadow and Spell, the third in his Keepers of the Vault trilogy. You can visit Marty at his website www.martychan.com
Cartoons, Comics and General Mayhem— James Grasdal
James introduces students to several cartooning and writing strategies in a fast paced session full of hilarity. Where do we find our ideas? How can we develop those ideas through character design, pacing and humour? A session full of doodling, story telling and games, all leading to further developing student's abilities as story tellers.
James has been drawing cartoons in one form or another as a full-time cartoonist for over 25 years. His editorial cartoons and illustrations have appeared in major daily newspapers and magazines across North America and Europe. He has illustrated everything from t-shirts, caricatures and children’s books to animation and comic strips. James also illustrated a 16 book series for the Alberta Canola Producers Commission (written by Dawn Ius). He has worked closely with educators to create picture prompts and many other resources for the classroom. Visit his website www.jamesgrasdal.com
Write Where It Counts! - Jacqueline Guest
This session will give you the secrets that every published author knows! Discover how to get started, create characters readers will cheer for, beat the 'show don't tell' trap, and make your story a high scoring winner! This class will jump start your creative talents and turn a good story into a great one!
Jacqueline Guest, C.M., is the author of twenty novels and numerous short stories. She began writing professionally when she was in Grade five and her brother paid her twenty-five cents to write his Language Arts essay. While on the job as a writer, Jacqueline has stood on an iceberg, flown a kite in a hurricane, dodged killer African hornets and escaped hungry lions. She and her computer live in a log cabin in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Read more at www.jacquelineguest.com
6 Cartoons & Illustrations — Tim Huesken
Learn some techniques that will help you create your own dynamic cartoon characters. Tim Huesken is a professional illustrator who works as a Lead Game Artist in Victoria, BC.
Tim has worked on a variety of projects over the last twenty years. You might have seen some of his work on gig posters, board games and mobile phone games such as Star Trek: Fleet Command and Bendy in Nightmare Run! You can view his website at www.timhuesken.com
Molding Creativity - Dawn Ius
In this session, we explore using modelling clay to illustrate essential story elements such as character development, setting, and plot. After a brief introduction about one of these basic story elements, participants use modelling clay to create a character or illustrate a setting, using a worksheet to help guide / explain decision-making. At the end, we review student work and discuss how to create stories from their creations.
Dawn Ius is the author of three young adult novels published by Simon & Schuster— ANNE & HENRY, OVERDRIVE, and LIZZIE—as well as 16 educational comics for the Alberta Canola Producers' Commission. She is a contributing writer to the animated Nickolodeon-produced TV show, RAINBOW RANGERS. Dawn lives in St. Albert, AB with her husband and two giant breed dogs. Visit her on the web at www.dawnius.com and on social @dawnmius
The Power of Weird - Troy Kokol
We're all a little different. Unlock the power of your story to tell a story that no one will forget!Troy Kokol is a SOCAN award winner and 2-time CCMA Songwriter of the Year nominee. His 2nd studio album "Lonely Ghost" was nominated for the 2018 CBC Indigenous Music Awards - Best Folk Album and also won Kokol the Songwriter of the Year award at the 2018 YYC Music Awards.
As a songwriter, Troy has 200+ cuts, with artists in both Canada and the US including Warner Music's Brett Kissel, Tenille Townes, Leaving Thomas, Don Amero, Chris Henderson and Shane Yellowbird, whose single, "Pick Up Truck" was listed #6 all-time on Canadian country radio by Billboard. Visit Troy's website www.troykokol.com
So YOU Want to Write – That’s Exciting! — Amelia Lionheart
Why do you want to write? Which is your preferred genre? What type of an author do you want to be? What kind of heritage will you bring to your writing? Join this interactive session about the ideas behind our writing, as well as the process of writing, editing, polishing, themes, etc. Create a story outline. Come with lots of questions – preferably written down so that everyone has an opportunity to participate. And if you can forward them in advance to [email protected] that will give everyone enough time.
Amelia Lionheart, a Canadian children's author with a diploma in writing from the Institute of Children's Literature, Connecticut, USA, is the author of five books in the JEACs Series. She is the creator and founder of the REAL JEACs groups and has had signings in Australia, Dubai, Sri Lanka and Canada! The books are fun adventure stories in which the facts about the animals are accurate, while the rest of the story is fictional. Visit her website at: www.jeacs.com. 7 Well, That's Mysterious! - Jan Markley
Do you love a good whodunit? We'll uncover the secrets to writing a mystery story, and use our new skills to craft a head scratching tale of puzzlement. Bring your sleuthing abilities, curiosity, and ideas!
Jan Markley is a writer living in Calgary. Dead Frog on the Porch (Gumboot Books 2009) is her debut novel for middle grade readers. It is a comedic mystery adventure and the first in the Megabyte Mystery Series. Dead Bird through the Cat Door is the second in the series (Gumboot Books 2010). Growing up she was a voracious reader of Nancy Drew mysteries and enjoyed visiting the library where she would stretch her library card to the limit. Check out her website at: www.janmarkley.com
Play a Game: Write a Story, Page Turning Fiction! - Lorna Schultz Nicholson
Writing fiction is about characters and setting! Plus, we can’t forget that every good fiction story has some sort of gripping conflict. In this workshop you will play a trade game to put people and places together to solve a problem. This workshop is a hands-on, get down and dirty workshop. But tons of fun.
Lorna Schultz Nicholson has published over thirty books, including her latest One-2-One series, her middle grade novel Superhero Ninja Wrestling Star and a non-fiction book on Oilers superstar, Connor McDavid. All her novels are about kids: and their friendships and school and family life and emotions and feelings and… well, the ups and downs of life. We all have those ups and downs, don’t we? Lorna lives in Edmonton with her hubbie and two dogs, a whiny bichon shih tzu, and a sort-of-naughty puppy she rescued from Mexico. You can visit her website at http://lornaschultznicholson.com
Keeping it Real — David A. Poulsen
This workshop helps young writers create real, believable stories that include all of the elements of good story writing, with a focus on character and setting. The best part is that you’ll not only have fun but you’ll take the hints and tips David gives you and head off in directions you never knew existed!.
David A. Poulsen has been a broadcaster, teacher, stage and film actor and—most of all— writer. His writing career began in earnest when his story The Welcomin’ won the 1984 Alberta Culture Short Story Competition. Now the author of more than 25 books, David’s young adult novel Numbers received the Sakura Medal (awarded by English-speaking high school students in Japan for their favourite novel of the year). David toured International Schools in Japan and Korea in the fall of 2011. His most recent book for younger readers, And Then the Sky Exploded’ is a finalist for the Red Maple Award in Ontario. Visit his website at: www.davidpoulsen.com
8 Imagine a Story— Susan Raby-Dunne
Using fascinating objects or historical artifacts, photographs, or a first line, we will jump- start imagination and launch the creation of an original tale or poem.
Susan Raby-Dunne is an author, speaker, military historian and battlefield guide in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy. Visit her website at www.susanrabydunne.com
Cartooning! — Gerry Rasmussen
In this drawing workshop Gerry will help you to design your own cartoon characters and make them come to life in their own cartoon worlds. Bring a pencil and paper and we'll have some fun drawing.
Gerry Rasmussen is an internationally syndicated cartoonist who draws the comic strip "Betty" which appears daily in newspapers and magazines around the world. Besides drawing Betty, Gerry also illustrates children's books including Crazy About Soccer!, Crazy About Basketball! and Crazy About Hockey! published by Annick Press. Check out Gerry’s website at: www.gerryrasmussen.ca
An Adventure in Colouring Book Creation — Crystal Salamon
Do you dream of making a colouring book? Join wildly creative illustrator and publisher, Crystal Salamon, on a mini book-building adventure. Create a colouring book to take home as you explore how Crystal's best selling book came to life. Discover new colouring tips and tricks and prepare to be inspired!
Turner Valley's Crystal Salamon loves to excite and inspire creativity! In 2015 she dove into the world of self-publishing on a quest to make art more accessible. Armed with an Art and Design degree, 10 years of instructing art and a lifetime of creative passion, she poured her heart and soul into her first book, Awakening: Artful Colouring, which is quickly taking the world by storm. Over 6,000 copies of Awakening sold worldwide and now her 2nd book, Ignite (published Nov. 2016), is close behind. Her whirlwind journey has been covered by dozens of news outlets across Canada including CTV News, Canadian Press and Huffington Post and her passion for the art of colouring is wonderfully contagious. www.crystalsalamon.com
9 Stitching Rock and Roll Numbers— Terry Siqueira
What do Rock Stars have in common? They all paint by numbers… Come and see if you can write and perform your own brand of rock simply by following some basic principles of how song writing works. This is an interactive workshop where you will experience the nature of “who we are”!
Terry Siqueira has taught music, band and Elementary/Jr. High Grades for 33 years in the Foothills region. He holds a Bachelor of Music Degree (1985) and a Bachelor of Education Degree (1987) from the University of Calgary. He is also a past Provincial Classical Guitar Recipient in the Alberta Musical Festival. Terry has recorded Pop/ Rock singles also from the 90's to present. He has written five school songs and also a Terry Fox Tribute song which continues to be used yearly. Currently Terry teaches grade 3 at St. Mary's School in Okotoks. Working on Effective Reading Behaviors, Student Engagement and Comprehension Strategies for the Emerging and Advanced Reader through music is a key focus of Terry’s at the present. He is also excited to be working on a book featuring a reading Super Hero.
Pitching your Product! — Shirlee Smith Matheson
Come prepared to write, discuss and share adventurous ideas, from your favorite movie or comic book (heroes/villains) or real-life characters. Start with that “wow” line (a hook) that draws a reader into your story; learn how to write a “pitch” to sell your idea; the importance of dialogue and action, setting and style to propel the narrative to a spellbinding conclusion. And, most importantly, ensure that you use your unique personality, knowledge, interests and flair to full advantage to create and promote your work.
Adventures abound in Shirlee`s (soon to be) 21 published books: nonfiction aviation and Northern adventures (Amazing Flights & Flyers; Lost! Unsolved Mysteries of Canadian Aviation; This Was Our Valley); and young adult novels (Flying Ghosts; Gambler`s Daughter; Prairie/City Pictures; Jailbird Kid; Fastback Beach). Shirlee lives in Calgary. Visit her website at www.ssmatheson.ca
Gimme Goosebumps- Gail Sidonie Sobat
Writing effective hair-raising scenes is key to all kinds of stories: mysteries, fantasy, horror, adventure, science fiction and more! Learn to build to a climax while raising the stakes along the way. Raise your heart rate with fast-paced action! Tell a tale terrifyingly! Dabble in wordplay that gives you goosebumps!
Gail Sidonie Sobat is the author of 11 books and the creator/coordinator of YouthWrite®, a camp for kids who love to write…just about anything!© She’s been writer in residence with Edmonton Public Library and has presented in Doha, Qatar; Hanoi, Vietnam; Bern, Switzerland; Helsinki, Finland; Istanbul, Turkey; and the US. Gail is a Global News Woman of Vision and a City of Edmonton Arts and Culture Citation Award recipient. She’s moved 32 times in her life from Badlands to Siksika Nation Reserve to hideous suburbs to Istanbul to the Sunshine Coast to her writer’s garret in a century-old temperamental house. Her website is www.gailsidoniesobat.com
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Making History Spring to Life! Animals Tell the Story — Susan Raby- Dunne
In this session, Susan will explore how to tell your story through the eyes of a dog or horse. Susan will then take you on her research journey to write the World War I-era book, Bonfire - The Chestnut Gentleman, the story of John McCrae as told by his horse, Bonfire. Susan will share the excitement of “getting to know,” a person from history, and show you how to do the same.
Susan Raby-Dunne is a writer, screenwriter, composer and historian from Longview, AB. She has written four books, the most recent being John McCrae: Beyond Flanders Fields. An avid world traveller, she travels by motorcycle whenever possible, and has been a motorcycle enthusiast for 40 years. Susan has a passion for military history, but also for supporting and educating Canadians about our serving military and veterans. Visit her website at http:// susanrabydunne.com/ Characters with Spark! - Jennifer Stables
Illustrate a character that is full of spark! Author and illustrator, Jennifer Stables, will guide participants as they create their own character with accessories. Learn how to use body language and facial expression to bring your characters to life, whether it's a person, animal or object! Jennifer Stables is an author and artist living in Okotoks, Alberta, and the owner and artist of Jenny Dale Designs. She has written and/or illustrated nine published books including Greenie the Wheat King, Robots, Rubber Boots and Red Balloons, and To the Moon and Back. Her most recent book is Bolts, which will be released this spring. Visit her website www.jennydaledesigns.com
Creating Worlds with Magic - Suzy Vadori
Love reading about magic? Learn how to write about it in this interactive workshop. We'll discover together what makes up a complete magic system including some standard elements. We'll also discuss magic systems in literature that we admire. Students will then have the opportunity to create a set of rules for their own magic system, and practice writing in this newly created world.
Suzy is the Calgary Bestselling Author of The Fountain, and The West Woods, Books 1 and 2 of The Fountain Series, published by Evil Alter Ego Press. This fantastical Young Adult Series has received two Aurora Nominations for Best Young Adult Novel, as well as Five Stars from both Readers’ Favorite and San Francisco Review of Books. Suzy lives in Calgary, Canada with her husband and three children and is an involved member in the writing community. Currently, she is the Program Manager, Young Adult/Children’s Programming for When Words Collide (WWC), a literary festival held in Calgary each August. Suzy is also the founder of WriteIt! creative writing programs in schools, building young writers. You can view her website at www.suzyvadori.wordpress.com
Playwrighting for a puppet play! - Michelle Warkentin
Examining questions such as human connection, solar power and the value of video games the students will collaborate and write short puppet plays on a chosen subject. In small groups these plays will then be performed and follow up with a discussion in the classroom, We are exploring the power of puppets in challenging what we believe and how we perceive the world.
Michelle Warkentin is a professional puppeteer and artistic director of Life Stages Theatre. She has been writing, performing and producing plays for folks of all ages for thirty years. Michelle also has credits in film, cartoons and voice-over. www.michellewarkentin.ca
11 Grade 7 - 9 Writers' Workshop This session is only open to grade 7, 8, 9 students who want to work with an author on writing they have in progress. Students MUST bring writing with them to discuss.
From Once Upon a Time to The End: Practical story-telling tips
Bring your writing, bring your questions, and spend an afternoon with Janet Gurtler, Sigmund Brouwer, and Natasha Deen. Get one-on-one input on your story and learn practical tips and tricks to polishing your work and moving your story from good to great.
Sigmund Brouwer Sigmund Brouwer is an Alberta author with over 100 titles published. He loves visiting schools with his Rock and Roll Literacy Show. His recent novel, Thief of Glory, was anAlberta Readers Choice Award winner, and his young adult novel, Dead Man's Switch is an Arthur Ellis winner for best Y/A mystery in Canada. You can visit Sigmund's website at www.sigmundbrouwer.com
Natasha Deen
NATASHA DEEN writes for kids, teens, and adults. She believes the world is changed one story at a time, and enjoys visiting schools, libraries and other organizations to help people share the stories that live inside of them. She also spends an inordinate amount of time trying to convince her pets that she’s the boss of the house. Natasha is the author of the Lark Ba series. Her latest novel is In the Key of Nira Ghani, a Junior Library Guild selection, and a Barnes and Noble Top 25 Most Anticipated Own Voices novel. Visit Natasha at www.natashadeen.com
Janet Gurtler
A Rita Award Finalist and Crystal Kite Award Finalist, Janet Gurtler's young adult books have been chosen for the JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION and as BEST BOOKS FOR TEENS from the Canadian Children’s Book Center. She's also a person who just really likes books and loves to talk about them with other people who really love books. Janet lives in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada with her husband, son, and a chubby black Chihuahua named Bruce who refuses to eat dog food. She is currently working on a book about skydiving and parallel lives. Visit her at www.janet-gurtler.com
12 French Immersion Presentation - ALL French Immersion students must register for this session
Ma langue me rend...spécial - David Bouchard
Discutons la bonne chance d’être capable de me comprendre comme ça, en français, or like this, in English. Notre langue nous donne accès à tellement de portes…notre langue, notre culture, la santé mentale…On a tellement à partager! Moi, j'ai bien hâte… Auteur et conférencier le plus connu de la Colombie-Britannique, il a présenté à des centaines de milliers d’enseignants, parents et étudiants à travers le monde. Un enseignant et directeur pendant 28 ans, maintenant à la retraite, il se fait un champion de l’alphabétisation. Son message, destiné aux parents, enseignants ou toute personne qui se veut défenseur des enfants, peut être lu dans The Gift of Reading et For the Love of Reading.
“Le plus beau cadeau que nous pouvons donner à nos enfants, c’est le cadeau de la lecture. Apprendre à lire à nos enfants n’est pas sorcier. Il n’y a pas de jouet ou de programme miracle qui puisse faire notre tâche à notre place. Ça prend du temps, un engagement, et avant tout le feu sacré. On ne peut espérer allumer le feu sacré chez les autres sans entretenir notre propre feu sacré. Passez le flambeau autour de vous! Laissez votre passion vous guider! Faites de l’alphabétisation votre héritage!”
M. Bouchard explique les rôles et responsabilités de chacun et il conclut que nous avons tous une obligation sociale et morale de remettre à chaque enfant le cadeau de la lecture. Lors de ses rencontres, sa présence ne laisse personne indifférent. Les participants quittent ses ateliers et conférences mieux renseignés et plus capables de faire face aux nombreux défis de l’alphabétisation.
David Bouchard est né et a grandi dans les Prairies canadiennes. Cet auteur a publié plus de 60 livres à succès, à la fois pour enfants et pour adultes. En 2014, Une école à Oshawa en Ontario a été nommée après lui. En 2010, on lui a nommé à l’Ordre du Canada. Il habite aujourd’hui en Colombie-Britannique avec sa femme Vicki et leur famille réunie de sept.
Les livres de David Bouchard ont remporté plusieurs prix littéraires importants, dont le prix du Gouverneur général pour The Song Within My Heart (2004) et le prix de poésie Lee Bennett Hopkins pour Voices from the Wild (1997). Selon un palmarès de la revue canadienne Maclean’s, son ouvrage If You’re not from the Prairie se classe au nombre des vingt grands chefs-d’œuvre littéraires canadiens pour enfants. Visitez le site web de David Bouchard au www.davidbouchard.com
13 Parent Information
Dear Parents/Guardians:
Your child is invited to attend the 30th Annual Foothills Young Authors’ Conference on Saturday April 6, 2019 at Holy Trinity Academy 338072 32 Street E, Okotoks AB T1S 1A2. We are looking forward to hosting over 600 students this year!
The day will begin with a keynote presentation at 9:00 a.m. by author David Bouchard for ALL students.
Following David's presentation, students will attend three self-selected workshops, choosing from among the many presenters and sessions outlined in this handbook.
The registration fee is $30.00, cash or cheque accepted. Please make cheques payable to your child’s school. No post-dated cheques please. Registration fees are due along with the submission of your child’s registration information. Please Note: We are unable to refund the registration fee to students who cancel after March 29, 2019. The registration fee includes lunch — choice of a 6 inch Quizno's sub plus a cookie and juice box. If you do not wish your child to partake in the lunch provided, please provide them with a bagged lunch (conference fees remain the same). Should your child require a snack, please send an easy-to-eat, dry option to help avoid messes in the workshop classrooms. Drinking fountains are located throughout the school, however, you may wish to pack a water bottle for your child.
Students will have the opportunity to shop in the Conference Bookstore, featuring works by participating presenters at discounted prices. The bookstore will be open over the lunch hour and between 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Students will also have the opportunity to obtain autographs from their favourite presenters during the autograph session from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Please indicate your child’s lunch selection on the Conference Selection Sheet and assist them in selecting their top 3 choices for each session. Please return the Conference Selection sheet — with the registration fee — to your school’s Conference Coordinator by Wednesday March 20. Conference Coordinators will register students for sessions beginning on Thursday, March 21 at 4:00 p.m. so late submissions may affect your child’s opportunity to attend the workshops of their choice.
Thank you,
The 2019 Foothills Young Authors' Conference Organizing Committee
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