YouthWrite River Valley Experience 2023
July 2 - July 7, 2023
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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WhenJuly 2nd - July 7th, 2023 Full Week |
WhereBennett Centre Edmonton, Alberta |
WhoGuest instructors: Elena Belyea Natasha Deen Mark Kozub Tololwa M Mollel Mary Pinkoski Elsa Robinson Daniel Schneider Masani St. Rose Amazing Instructors TBA soon! Blue Pencil Café Editor: TBA Our Special Guest Presenter: TBA Our Super Supers: Andraya Diogo Becky Collins - Lead Super Amanda Erickson Mark Guererro Mason Repka Mackenzie Trofimuk More Supers TBA soon! 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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Mark Kozub
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Mary Pinkoski
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Tololwa M Mollel
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Elsa Robinson
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Daniel J Schneider
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Masani St. Rose
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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 an emerging artist from amiskwaciwâskahikan (colonially known as Edmonton). She works mostly in showbiz as a designer/manager, but sometimes as a YouthWrite supervisor, or a high school Technical Theatre teacher. She will graduate from the University of Alberta with a BFA in Theatre Production next April. Andy loves skateboarding, black coffee, and is Gail's favourite |
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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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Amanda Ericksonis a photography, videography, poetry, and social media enjoyer! They are passionate about literature, journalism, and queer expression through multidisciplinary art. Amanda is excited to be joining the YouthWrite team for a second time this year, both as a Super and an Office Bee and as Gail and Marla’s favourite! |
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Mark Guerrerois thrilled to be returning for another fun week at the River Valley Experience this summer. He is currently an acting student at the University of Alberta. Mark loves reading and performing classical text. He especially loves Shakespeare – the master of wordplay! Mark also enjoys singing, dancing, long-distance running, and playing volleyball. Alongside working as a Super and being Gail and Marla’s favourite, Mark also works as a YouthWrite Office Bee! |
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Mason RepkaMason 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 is also a Registered Massage Therapist, owns and operates Dark Ascension LARP, and is, of course, Gail and Marla's favorite. |
Mackenzie Trofimuk
Mackenzie Trofimuk has been involved with YouthWrite for her whole life and is thrilled to be returning for yet another joyous summer! She has filled the roles of camper, office Bee, Super, and was a member of the Spoken Word Youth Choir for the past several years. She is currently living in Toronto, enrolled in second-year at Toronto Metropolitan University. While she is now pursuing studies in fashion, dance was her first love, and she has trained intensively in contemporary, jazz, ballet, and tap. This summer you can find Mackenzie as a bubbly barista in downtown Toronto. In her free time, she enjoys going on long adventurous walks, working on passion projects, attending lots of live music and drama, and drinking iced matcha lattes. Mackenzie loves all things fueled by creativity and is so excited to dance, write, sing, laugh, and play with you this summer! |
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Client ServicesTania Gigiliottiis 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.