As the school year draws to a close, the excitement is palpable at Methow Valley Elementary School. Students are thrilled by the prospect of summer, true, but they’re also eager to participate in the upcoming Young Writers’ Conference, which engages students in writing activities, including attending seminars of their choice presented by adult writers, artists, storytellers, and actors from around the region, hearing inspirational speakers, and sharing their own writing. This year, the sixth annual Young Writers’ Conference consists of three events: a school-wide writing contest, the Young Writers’ Celebration, an evening event that showcases students reading original work, and the day-long Young Writers’ Conference, which features guest presenters from the community teaching workshops designed to show students how writing skills are used in a variety of professions and pastimes. Poet Kelleigh McMillan, writer/photographer Mandi Donohue, songwriter Danbert Nobacon, and author Marian Exall are among the community members who will be offering workshops at the conference. Children’s book author/illustrator Ben Clanton will provide the keynote address. The Young Writers’ Celebration is open to the public. Details below.

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The goals of the Young Writers’ Conference are to provide students with opportunities to:

• View themselves as writers and feel a part of the writing community
• Hear life stories from individuals who have chosen writing as a career
• Observe techniques and skills used by practicing writers
• Integrate art, music, performance, and storytelling into the writing process
  

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The Young Writers’ Contest, Celebration, and Conference are presented by the Methow Valley School District and Methow Arts Alliance and are sponsored by the Public School Funding Alliance, the Methow Valley Fund of the Community Foundation of North Central Washington, Trails End Bookstore, and ArtsWA.

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DATES: Thu, June 1, 5:30-7pm. LOCATION: Methow Valley Elementary School library. CONTACT: Methow Arts Alliance: Amanda Jackson Mott, Executive Director, 509.997.4004, info@methowartsalliance.org. Free.