YouthWrite Highlands Experience 2024
June 30 - July 5, 2024
Day Camp For Ages 8-12
A unique opportunity for kids to expand their writing horizons. Campers will receive guidance from published authors and learn writing techniques for specific genres.
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WhenJune 30th - July 5th, 2024 Full Week - Day Camp Optional Overnight on Thursday July 4th |
WhereHighlands United Church Edmonton, Alberta
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WhoGuest instructors: Eli Belyea Natasha Deen Tololwa Mollel Elsa Robinson Daniel J. Schneider Blue Pencil Café Editor: TBA Our Special Guest Presenter: TBA Our Super Supers: Andy Diogo Lead Super Becky Collins Elise Leske Mason Repka Michael Watt Client Services Tania Gigliotti River Valley Experience Coordinator Marla Albiston YouthWrite Director-Coordinator: |
Guest Instructors
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YOUTHWRITE INSTRUCTORS: THE CREAM OF THE CROP!
Throughout YouthWrite's history, we have prided ourselves on the calibre of our fine instructors. YouthWrite invites superbly talented and reputable instructors who represent the many facets of the performing, visual, musical, dance, film, and written arts. |
MORE AMAZING INSTRUCTORS TBA SOON!
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Elena (Eli) Belyea
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Natasha Deen
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BioGuyanese-Canadian Natasha Deen is a best-selling author and a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. Natasha’s novels include In the Key of Nira Ghani (Amy Mather Teen Book Award), Spooky Sleuths: The Ghost Tree (School Library Journal Best Books of 2022). Her most recent YA title, The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad was a Globe & Mail's Top 100 Books for 2022. When she’s not writing, she teaches Introduction to Children’s Writing with the University of Toronto’s SCS and spends an inordinate amount of time trying to convince her pets that she’s the boss of the house. Visit Natasha at www.natashadeen.com. |
CourseConfetti Writing - Sometimes it’s tough focusing our characters, plot, and description — especially when we’re first figuring out our story. Experiment with a variety of fun writing prompts and simple tips to help you figure out how to get your story from "Once Upon a Time" to "The End." |
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Tololwa M Mollel
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Elsa Robinson
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Daniel J Schneider
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The Amazing Supers
Handpicked and multi-talented, YouthWrite Supers are the centre of our camps. As artists, teachers and mentors, they bring the X-Factor to YouthWrite.
MORE AMAZING SUPERS TBA SOON!
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Andraya DiogoAndraya Diogo is a stage/production designer/manager from the prairies. She writes creative non-fiction and poetry on the side, thanks to YouthWrite. Andy was a camper for six years and is celebrating her fourth summer as a Super! She is a decent skateboarder and a bad baker. Her favourite colour is fuchsia. She is |
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Becky Collins - Lead SuperThis year marks Becky's tenth summer with YouthWrite! A drama and humanities teacher by trade, Becky is a current graduate student at the University of Alberta with the Master of Arts in Communications and Technology program. In addition to her graduate studies, Becky has been working with the Faculty of Education as a Research Assistant and Primary Instructor teaching future teachers. Becky is bursting with anticipation for camp this year, knowing full well she is Gail and Marla's favourite Super. |
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Elise Leske
Elise Leske is a past YouthWriter who now dabbles in comedy, camerawork, and crossword puzzles. When she’s not on set or doing stand up, she likes painting and crushing her opponents in board games (she often loses). She is also Gail’s favourite. |
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Mason RepkaMason (he/they) is a YouthWrite Office Bee, working with Gail and Tania behind the scenes to make sure YouthWrite events go swimmingly. Mason loves to teach writing through roleplay, whether it be Live-Action or Table-Top. He has had the pleasure of teaching youth and adults alike the joys of table-top gaming and group storytelling through private events, Jube School, and YouthWrite. He also owns and operates Dark Ascension LARP, and is returning to defend his title as Gail and Marla's favorite. |
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Michael WattMichael Watt (they/them) is an Alberta-based theatre artist and musician passionate about performance, creation, production, and community outreach. Recently, Michael graduated with distinction from the University of Alberta’s BFA Acting program where they were made the 2023/24 recipient of the first annual Tom and Judy Peacocke Award for achievement in and outside of the program, exhibiting a strong independent work ethic, discipline, integrity, and a collaborative approach both on and off stage. As a creator, Michael's writing frequently explores themes of identity, absurdity, musicality, and (mis)understanding. Community, joy, and laughter are major priorities in Michael’s artistic practice. They believe that sharing music and stories with one’s community is one of the most magical things we can do! Creation and/or composition credits include:What Was Is All andHost Town (Walters & Watt);Troilus and Cressida (Studio Theatre); andThe Nancy Drew-sical andThe Hand That Feeds (Nextfest Arts Co.). You can catch Michael performing this summer in their new workLet’s Not Turn On Each Other at the YEG Fringe with Walters & Watt Theatre Projects, and in Shadow Theatre’s 2024/25 season in Bea. |
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Client ServicesTania Gigliottiis the little Hobbit you may have seen previously working in the children's section of bookstores and comic book stores around Edmonton. When she's not working for YouthWrite, she is the Project Manager on the Young People are the Future Project researching youth engagement in living history museums. At YouthWrite, she is Master of Excel and Campfax and also Communications Manager. |
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River Valley Experience CoordinatorMarla Albistonhas been involved with YouthWrite for approximately 15 years…she can’t remember the exact number, because she’s been having so much fun! She completed her BEd degree at the U of A, and since then has had the wonderful opportunity to apply her love of education with her passion for movement, teaching Dance at various schools with EPSB. She also works as a freelance dance teacher/choreographer, dances with the local Contemporary company ViVA Dance, and performs in aerial circus with Firefly Theatre and Circus. Marla is beyond excited for the magic that once again will be taking place at YouthWrite this summer and to work with Gail who loves her best! |
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YouthWrite Director- CoordinatorGail Sidonie Sobatis a multi-award-winning teacher and author, with twelve books for children, teens and adults, and a number of educational and academic articles. A Global News Woman of Vision and an Arts and Culture Citation Award recipient, she is the YouthWrite creator/ coordinator, an international presenter, an instructor in the professional writing program at MacEwan University and in the Faculty of Education at U of A. Gail was The Writers’ Union of Canada Regional Representative for Alberta, NWT and Nunavut, and writer in residence with the Metro Edmonton Federation of Libraries. She has moved forty 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. She adores all of her Supers & Coordinators equally, and loves YouthWrite like a madwoman! |
Join the FunCome one, come all YouthWriters! Have fun, make new friends, and create great experiences. |
Use your passion for writing and apply for a scholarship from our list of available scholarships & grants.
