Oregon Writing Festival

The 24th Annual Oregon Writing Festival is right around the corner.....
Saturday, May 3, 2008, at Portland State University...... and YOU can be a vital part of this outstanding event for students.

Keynote speakers will be

Michele Glazer, author of Aggregate of Disturbances, It Is Hard to Look at What We Came to Think We'd Come to See, and Writer's Collective,

Carmen Bernier-Grand, author of Shake It, Morena!: And Other Folklore from Puerto Rico; Frida: Viva La Vida! Long Live Life!; and Cesar: Si, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can! and

Graham Salisbury, author of Under the Blood-Red Sun, Night of the Howling Dogs, and House of the Red Fish.

Workshop Leader Information

Jay Rishel (Wilsonville H.S.) is looking for teachers, grad. students, local authors, etc. to serve as Workshop Leaders for the following grade level groupings: Grades 4-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12.

What does a Workshop Leader do? Basically, you prepare a writing activity you can introduce to small groups of 18-22 students in about 5 minutes, the students write for 35 min. and then they share their work (total session time: 1 hour). You are there to assist and encourage the students' writing. These are creative kids, and they are eager to write. Workshop Leaders present the same workshop to two different groups.

What are the benefits of being a Workshop Leader? $50 stipend, lunch, the coveted 2008 Oregon Writing Festival coffee mug, the chance to hear keynote authors Carmen Bernier-Grand, Graham Salisbury, and Michele Glazier, and the opportunity to work with these bright young students. What a great way to spend a Saturday!

Interested? Download the Workshop Leader Proposal form, (Word) or (pdf) and submit it with a brief description of your proposed writing activity. Please submit it to the Workshop Leader coordinator, Jay Rishel. You may email him for more information at rishelj@wlwv.k12.or.us or call him at 503-673-7666. You may also download the Welcome Letter to Workshop Leaders that contains more information about the festival.

Feel free to pass along this message to your peers. Thanks.

More information about the Oregon Writing Festival

Takes place annually at Portland State University in the spring.

• Accenting writing as an art, craft and basic skill for Oregon students, grades 4 to 12
• Honoring outstanding student writers
• Recognizing writing teachers for high level student achievement in writing
• Encouraging effective classroom practices and home support to improve writing
• Increasing the interest and involvement of students and teachers in writing 
• Promoting writing activities and festivals in local districts and communities 
• Connecting student writers with Oregon authors and other student writers

For information about the Oregon Writing Festival, please contact: