Media Releases

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Young Readers' Conference at Highlands School

Highlands School is hosting their fourth annual Young Readers' Conference on Thursday, March 22 from 9 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. Over 160 Grade 6 students from seven local elementary schools will join students from Highlands School to attend a number of sessions all designed to promote literacy and reading for pleasure. Special guests include MLA Brian Mason and Trustee David Colburn.

Many of the sessions will be led by local Edmonton writers including:

  • Morningstar Mercredi - storyteller, actress, social activist, poet, playwright, researcher and multi-media communicator;
  • Thomas Trofimuk - an award-winning novelist. His novel, The 52nd Poem, won the 2003 Alberta Book Awards' Georges Bugnet Novel of the Year, the City of Edmonton Book Prize and the Manuela Dias Book Design of the Year Award.
  • Gail Sidonie-Sobat - has written two children's books as well as a collection of poetry. Gail is the creator/co-ordinator of YouthWrite, a summer writing camp for young people in Alberta;
  • Laurie Greenwood, Greenwood's Bookshoppe and Greenwood's Volume II;
  • Laurie MacFayden, writer and poet; and
  • Lorna Bennett, illustrator and animator.

Highlands School places an emphasis on developing good readers and writers. The Highlands Young Readers' Conference is an opportunity for students to build on their love of reading and become inspired to put pen to paper and write.

Students will attend three sessions of their choice.

For further information, contact:
Jennifer Allen, Principal
Highlands School
11509 - 62 Street
(780) 479-4206