Crossroads News
School Hosts First Young Adult Literature Conference
On May 8, Crossroads hosted its first Young Adult Literature Conference for Middle and Upper School students.
On May 8, Crossroads hosted its first Young Adult Literature Conference in the Upper School Theatre. A diverse panel comprised of seven award-winning YA authors, including one alumna and two Crossroads teachers, addressed a large audience of Crossroads students ranging in age from sixth through 11th grade.
The panel of invited writers included Lauren Strasnick, Alyson Noel, Stephanie Kuehn, Francesca Lia Block and Crossroads Upper School drama chair Davida Wills Hurwin and alumna Jennifer Caloyeras. Each author read a selection of her work, and then participated in a panel discussion moderated by Crossroads Middle School teacher Tracey Porter, author of several YA novels including Lark and Billy Creekmore.
The reading was divided into two sections. The first part was aimed at Middle School students; the second at Upper School students. After each round of readings the floor was opened for questions from the audience.
During the Q&A session, students asked questions regarding the naming of characters and works, the writing process and publishing in the digital age. Stephanie Kuehn shed a light on the discipline required of a writer in order to reap rewards. “Writing is like sports,” she said. “Five percent of the time you’re ‘in the zone,’ but 95 percent of the time you have to work really hard at it.”
The event was organized by a cross-divisional YA Literature Conference Committee made up of both teachers and librarians: Cole Godvin, Laura Monjoy, Max Duncan, Jay Chang, Tracey Porter and Davida Wills Hurwin.
YA Literature Conference Committee member Cole Godvin, the chair of publications and an English teacher, gave high praise to her fellow YA Literature Conference Committee members who helped make the event a reality.
“This event would not have been possible without the input and collaboration of everyone on the committee,” Cole said. “This first event was something of a trial run. Now that we have had such a positive reaction from students and faculty we have plans to organize a bigger event next spring, and to grow the conference in subsequent years.”
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The panel of invited writers included Lauren Strasnick, Alyson Noel, Stephanie Kuehn, Francesca Lia Block and Crossroads Upper School drama chair Davida Wills Hurwin and alumna Jennifer Caloyeras. Each author read a selection of her work, and then participated in a panel discussion moderated by Crossroads Middle School teacher Tracey Porter, author of several YA novels including Lark and Billy Creekmore.
The reading was divided into two sections. The first part was aimed at Middle School students; the second at Upper School students. After each round of readings the floor was opened for questions from the audience.
During the Q&A session, students asked questions regarding the naming of characters and works, the writing process and publishing in the digital age. Stephanie Kuehn shed a light on the discipline required of a writer in order to reap rewards. “Writing is like sports,” she said. “Five percent of the time you’re ‘in the zone,’ but 95 percent of the time you have to work really hard at it.”
The event was organized by a cross-divisional YA Literature Conference Committee made up of both teachers and librarians: Cole Godvin, Laura Monjoy, Max Duncan, Jay Chang, Tracey Porter and Davida Wills Hurwin.
YA Literature Conference Committee member Cole Godvin, the chair of publications and an English teacher, gave high praise to her fellow YA Literature Conference Committee members who helped make the event a reality.
“This event would not have been possible without the input and collaboration of everyone on the committee,” Cole said. “This first event was something of a trial run. Now that we have had such a positive reaction from students and faculty we have plans to organize a bigger event next spring, and to grow the conference in subsequent years.”
