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Spring Break Young Writers' Camps
not available for sale

$99.95 CAD

Join us during spring break for a day camp for young writers, live at the Bennett Centre in Edmonton's River Valley or online!

Registration is CLOSED!

YouthWrite and the Bennett Centre Present:


SPRING BREAK YOUNG WRITERS' CAMPS!
MARCH 27th - 28th: GRADES 4-6

Work on cover art with Spyder Yardley-Jones, storytelling with Tololwa Mollel, and character work with Angela Flatekval!


MARCH 29th - 30th: GRADES 6-9

Work with Darrin Hagen and Angela Hall!


ONLINE MARCH 27th-28th: Ages 10-14 in the AM;  15 and older in the PM 

Work with Marnie Woodrow via Zoom on honing the basics, and adding personal flavour to your writing. 

BENNETT CENTRE, 9703 94 Street
8:30am - 3:30pm
After-program care ($10) 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm for in-person only

- $99.95 for either two-day, in-person camp
($10.00 additional for after- program supervision)

ONLINE via Zoom
9:00am-11:30am(MST) for Ages 10-14
1:00pm-3:30pm(MST) for Ages 15+

- $59.95 for either two-day, online camp

Registration closes Sunday, March 26th at 7pm!

Keep scrolling down for more Instructor Bios and Class Descriptions!

Angela Flatekval

Instructor - MARCH 27-28: Grades 4-6


Bio

Angela Flatekval, Do you know anyone who is simply always singing and dancing and telling story after story? We do. It’s Angela! She was led to YouthWrite via a vast and varied creative life. Angela has been a dancer of dances, a singer of songs and a player of parts. Developing and re-inventing a creative voice is a lifelong process. She feels it’s an honour and an incredible joy to be a part of your journey.


Course

What Were You Thinking? - Powerful characters are created with intent by the author and enriched by the preparation of the performer. Using a pair of scenes with ambiguous lines as a launch pad, create a process to deepen the characters you write and play by discovering the answers to questions such as: Who are you? Where are you going?? What are you doing??? And most importantly… What Were You Thinking????

 

Darrin Hagen

Instructor - MARCH 29-30: Grades 6-9


Bio

Darrin Hagen is an award-winning composer, playwright, author, video director and Queer historian. He has written (or co-written) over 40 plays, and has been produced across Canada, America and in Europe. His published work includes The Edmonton Queen, Tornado Magnet: A Salute to Trailer Court Women and Queering The Way: The Loud & Queer Anthology, as well as dozens of short stories, artist profiles, articles and essays. Darrin’s plays include Witch Hunt at the Strand, The Empress and the Prime Minister, With Bells On; BitchSlap!, Typhoon Judy, Buddy, and his latest solo show Metronome. He has served as Writer in Residence for Edmonton Public Library, The University of Alberta, and MacEwan University and is currently Dramaturg in Residence at Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre. Darrin has received 7 Sterling Awards for his work in Edmonton Theatre, and over 40 nominations.


Course

The Art of The Monologue - Whether you’re revealing a secret, changing the subject, or pausing to tell a story within a story, the monologue is a versatile tool for diving deeper into a character or a scene. For a solo performer, a good monologue is gold and can open many opportunities for presentation. Learn what an effective monologue can achieve from the writer/performer who made his mark with four revealing and award-winning monologues that have toured across Canada. 



Angela Hall

Instructor - MARCH 29-30: Grades 6-9


Bio

Angela Hall, is a Métis Albertan, elementary school teacher, mother, poet, and artist. She has completed graduate courses in Grief and Loss, Art Therapy, Drama Therapy, Expressive Art Therapy, Psychotherapy, and Trauma Recovery. Angela specializes in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Education and has worked for nearly 30 years as a teacher, facilitator, consultant, liaison, manager with Alberta Education and Truth and Reconciliation Lead Teacher. Angela has been awarded the ATA, 2009, Outstanding Aboriginal Educator Award. In 2019, she received an honorable mention for the Kemosa Scholarship (First Nations, Metis and Inuit Mothers Who Write). Most recently, Angela has developed and facilitated Trauma Informed and Indigenous Ways of Knowing Art lessons for K-12 students, teachers’ conventions, colleges, and educational institutes. She is an artist with the Bearclaw Art Gallery and won the 38th Annual Peace Hills Trust Art contest. Her artwork is currently touring Alberta with the Alberta Foundation of the Arts TREX exhibition, Turtle Island.


Course

Rites of Passage Art Mandala - Create an art mandala that will support you through the process of self-actualization (knowing your purpose and/or potential). Learn about the spiritual significance of mandalas, practice visualization, journal through guided questions to help make conscious the unconscious beliefs that keep you stuck. In the process, you’ll understand yourself more deeply, rid yourself of unhealthy thought patterns and habits, and renew your own source of empowerment. 



Tololwa M Mollel

Instructor - MARCH 27-28: Grades 4-6


Bio

Tololwa M Mollel writes stories and plays for all ages. He has published over 20 books for the young in English and Kiswahili (Swahili), the national language of Tanzania where he was born. He also writes stories to tell and perform. When he isn’t writing, Tololwa, a former actor, performs stories for audiences in schools and communities, at times by himself and at other times with other performers and artists.


Course

Story Story - We shape many things we write and share in the form of story – whether, obviously, a short story or a long story such as a chapter book or novel; a poem; a song; a play or dramatic skit; nonfiction out of our life experiences; a speech, or a comic piece. In doing that, we often use story elements such as characters, dialogue, images, humor and comedy, and mood. With story sharer Tololwa as your guide, shape your writing through story and story elements into a compelling piece of your very own making.




Marnie Woodrow

Instructor - MARCH 27 - 28: ONLINE


Bio

Marnie Woodrow, is a writer who once upon a time faced a real challenge with learning to read and write (her two big dreams!) because of dyslexia. She has since published four books (and counting!) lots of magazine articles, and she coaches writers every day to tackle whatever might be in *their* way. She is also a writing tutor for students Grades 4-12.


Course - ONLINE

Story Kitchen - Like a really yummy meal, every story has a basic recipe. As writers, we are free to add whatever else we think would make it taste even better. Let's assemble the basic ingredients and then explore how adding different story flavours can make a story or chapter book funny, scary, fantastical, inspiring or a blend of these! This method can even work for poems and scripts. 



 Spyder Yardley-Jones

Instructor - MARCH 27-28: Grades 4-6


Bio

Spyder Yardley-Jones is an award-winning, international illustrator, cartoonist and visual artist. His artistic abilities are not limited to the 2D world. Spyder takes his characters and transforms them into sculptures and detailed dioramas. He's been teaching art to youth in the Edmonton school system and at YouthWrite for 27 years.


Course

Cover Up - Create a cover image for a movie based upon a favourite book you've read in any category. Play with lettering, colouring, composition and other techniques to make your art and descriptions come alive!