Grace Place hosts inaugural Young Authors’ Festival
Grace Place’s first-ever Young Authors’ Festival proved to be a setting where imagination had no bounds. Students in grades 3-5 authored and illustrated their own unique stories in preparation for the celebration where community partners, professional authors, volunteers, and friends joined together in their love for books.
Kicking off the event in small groups led by local volunteers and authors, students shared the inspiration for their original stories and the challenges they overcame in the writing process.
The festival also showcased a book talk from the Fanm Kreyol Storytellers, authors of the Haitian American children’s collection titled The Ansanm Collection. During the session, students had the opportunity to ask questions and learn what it takes to become a professional author.
To wrap up the festival, the improv troupe from The Naples Players brought select stories to life on stage, engaging students in hilarious skits and an original song that students and staff alike are still singing today! Among the highlights were titles like, The Knight that Saved Grace Place, The Middle Kid on Christmas, and The Crystal Cave, authored by talented Grace Place students.
With the festival’s magic still lingering on campus days later, the young authors have continued to share and act out their stories in their afterschool classrooms. Each day, Grace Place students dedicate themselves to developing strong literacy skills and the Young Authors’ Festival provided a platform to honor and to celebrate their hard work and unique voices.
