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YouthWrite Elbow River II Experience 2023

$655.00 CAD

July 9 - July 14, 2023

Day or Overnight Camp For Ages 15-19
An unforgettable experience for creative youth, spending time with quality instructors and other talented peers discussing ideas and sharing their work.

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$655 Subtotal
       

Elbow River II Experience!

PLEASE NOTE: REGISTRATION CLOSES ON JUNE 23, 2023

Day and Overnight Options

  • Ages 15-19
  • July 9th - July 14th, 2023
  • Day campers from 8:30 am - 9:00 pm. Overnighters arrive Sunday evening and stay until Friday afternoon.
  • FCJ centre: 219 19 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0C8
  • Tuition - two options
  1. $755 - Overnight at FCJ
  2. $655 - Day camp only

YouthWrite Fees Include

12 hours of daily instruction/activities led by highly qualified instructional and supervisory staff, supervised meals, break times, evening programs. All supplies are provided as are daily breakfasts (overnighters only) lunches, suppers, and snacks. Each participant is required to dress for the weather, bring PPE, indoor/outdoor shoes, and will receive a complimentary copy of YouthWrite: The Magazine.

For those of you new to YouthWrite:

Registration steps continue after registration on this site. After you complete the registration on this site, we ask that you proceed to Campfax, a secure camp database, and:

  • fill in important details
  • provide a letter of reference from a teacher/mentor
  • provide the answers to the four YouthWrite questions
  • provide a short sample of writing

You are not fully registered until all steps are completed.



Please note

All fees include $100 non-refundable fee.  No refunds will be made if registration is cancelled after June 23, 2023.

A full refund will be possible in the event an applicant is not accepted into the program or if COVID restrictions require that we cancel or reconfigure camp. YouthWrite Society Canada reserves the right to cancel courses and restrict enrollment. Courses, instructors and supervisors may be subject to change.




When

July 9th - July 14th, 2023

Full Week

Where

FCJ centre:

219 19 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0C8

Who

Guest instructors thus far:

Tomi Ajele

Timothy Anderson

Heather Camlot

Laurel Deedrick-Mayne

Kris Demeanor

Wally Diefenthaler

Rachel "Sunflower" Drouillard

MLE

Michelle Casten Magbanua

Loren Spector

Sue-Shane Tsomundo

Spyder Yardley-Jones

Nicole Zylstra

More TBA SOON!


Blue-Pencil Café:

Timothy Anderson


Our Special Guest Presenter:

TBA


Our Super Supers:

Yemariam Abebayehu

Cadence De Dios

Lead Super Anna Cooley

Lead Super Joey Lucius

Miranda Martini

Aftikhar Mominzada

Maia Tustonic


YouthWrite Director-Coordinator:
Gail Sidonie Sobat


Guest Instructors



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!

Tomi Ajele


Bio

Tomi Ajele (she/her) is the editor-in-chief of Afros In Tha City, a media collective dedicated to amplifying Black voices in Moh’kinsstis/Calgary. Tomi’s writing ranges from personal essays about identity to journalistic pieces about advocacy and anti-oppression. Her work can be found in The Huffington Post, CBC, The Sprawl, Avenue Magazine, ByBlacks, Shameless Magazine, and of course, Afros In Tha City. Tomi was recently named one of Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40.


Course

The Art of Story Unveiling - We’re surrounded by stories, and whether we choose to interact with them or not is up to us. Together, let’s identify compelling stories and unleash their potential. Explore how to recognize a good story, and then use angles, personal experiences, and diverse voices to breathe life into that story. Get equipped to spot hidden stories, infuse them with authenticity, and amplify their impact. 




Timothy Anderson


Bio

Timothy Anderson, is multidisciplinary: books, stories, plays, screenplays, articles, essays, opera texts etc. He's been librettist-in-residence with the Canadian Opera Company, won a reality TV show, performed operas, musicals, Shakespeare, on radio and in recordings. He’s an editor, book publisher, director, painter, composer, and university instructor. Breathe art.


Course

The Wild Side - Take short non-fiction forms and transform them into fiction through dadaism, satire, and subversion. Change the world with a manifesto for aardvarks; change someone else's world using a fortune cookie, or maybe announce the birth of your best idea yet...




 Heather Camlot


Bio

Heather Camlot is an award-winning author who writes fiction and nonfiction for young readers, including The Prisoner and the Writer and What If Soldiers Fought with Pillows? Her debut novel, Clutch, was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Historical Middle Grade Fiction of 2017. Her family, Jewish roots, and passion for history, social justice, sports, and music inspire much of her writing. She is also a long-time editor, translator and journalist. Born and raised in Montreal, she lives in Toronto with her husband and teenagers. 


Course

Are You Feeling It? - Every story needs a character, setting, plot, conflict, point of view and resolution. But if you want to draw readers in, that story also needs a whole lot of emotion. Emotion creates a connection between you (the writer), the character and the readers. Emotion gives the story life. It’s what makes readers keep turning the pages. But writing emotionally can be challenging – because it all starts with you and what you’re willing to share. Join Heather and explore the feels—in a safe environment—and weave those into effective emotional writing.




 Laurel Deedrick-Mayne


Bio

Laurel Deedrick-Mayne has been an arts administrator, dance publicist, concert promoter, ad copywriter and playbill editor. She has served on multiple arts boards while maintaining her ‘day job’ as a massage therapist. A late bloomer to publishing but third generation letter, journal and story writer, Laurel celebrates literacy and history in her award-winning novel, A Wake For The Dreamland. She loves YouthWrite and strives to inspire the storytellers of the future.


Course

Readers and Writers of the Lost Art - Are you ready to Time Travel? Forget instant messaging. Turn off your phone, or, if you dare -- leave it in your room. Decipher the mysteries of cursive handwritten letters and stories. Work together and alone, practicing and perfecting the lost art of reading and writing in cursive. Make something beautiful and timeless: a letter you wish to mail to a loved one, or perhaps you’ll copy a favourite poem (hopefully your own) in your own lovely handwriting. Celebrate the revival of this lost art…


Not to mention… Research has proven that people who write cursive activate more parts of the brain, spell better, improve fine motor skills and get this: cursive provides a better flow of thought as well as a better flow of words. What YouthWriter wouldn’t want to access that superpower?!



 Kris Demeanor


Bio

Kris Demeanor is a Calgarian songwriter/spoken word artist who explores and exposes hidden corners of the Western Canadian cultural landscape through story and song while adhering to Brecht’s credo: “Art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it.” Kris has released seven recordings of original music, toured Australia, Europe, and Canada sharing bills with David Byrne, Cake and Elvis Costello, Ray Davies, Billy Bragg and Black Francis, as well as co-writing two songs for music legend Ian Tyson’s 2017 release Carnero Vaquero. He co-created and performed in One Yellow Rabbit’s Calgary, I Love You But You’re Killing Me and Moon, Moon, No Moon, and debuted his one man show Russell: Straight Up, at the High Performance Rodeo in 2020. Other theatre credits include Crime Does Not Pay (Downstage), Cheryl Foggo’s John Ware Reimagined, and Making Treaty 7, a multi-disciplinary performance promoting reconciliation through acknowledgement of Alberta’s true history. Kris was Calgary’s first poet laureate and will be releasing a book of poetry, Fool of the New West, including all of the commissioned work he created in his two years as the city’s poet.


Course

Lyrical Miracles: Songwriting - What is a song? A poem, a story, (or a grocery list!), that gets delivered to the ear with the help of a beat and an instrument or two. You don’t require any background in playing an instrument or singing to be a songwriter in this class. Words have a natural rhythm, and Kris will teach you a couple of chords on the first day. That’s all you need. Explore a lot of different ways that language can be transformed into song; play a lot with beat and rhyme; experiment on an array of instruments, and collaborate as a group, which is where the big magic happens. Share the secrets of your hearts, be hilarious, mysterious, get political - and get the whole camp to sing along!




Wally Diefenthaler


Bio

Wally Diefenthaler is an aspiring writer and poet who believes that each of us can find beauty in this wonder of a world if we go beyond merely opening our eyes to really “seeing”.  A believer in the right of all beings to an authentic and meaningful existence, he is more of a student than a teacher, although he taught social studies concepts (human rights, ecology, critical thinking) for many years at the high school and university levels. Wally attempts to honour Soren Kierkegaard’s maxim “To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily; to not dare is to lose one’s life.”


Course

Dare to Believe: Discovering Relationships -  Do the trees sing? What is the river saying? Did that rock just speak to you? Talk and write about the wonder of that fresh breeze on your face, the songs of nature and the power of silence. Our relationships to ourselves, others and the world around and beyond us not only sustain day to day but offer insights into who we are and who we may become. Share your thoughts, words, and voices about your relationships. Go beyond the obvious of family and friends, and explore what you have in common with the more-than-human world. Come, step out of those comfortable shoes and ramble along a path of discovery to perhaps find yourself walking in beauty.




Rachel "Sunflower" Drouillard


Bio

Sunflower (Rachel Ann, she/her) is an outgoing, fun-loving, outdoor enthusiast who is known to occasionally tell a bad joke while teaching yoga. She has been a full-time yoga instructor for over 12 years and is unlike any other instructor you'll ever meet. Her non-traditional approach to yoga, movement, and meditation will inspire you to keep going back to the mat. Sunflower has been a book lover since she built her first 'book nook fort' when was just little. She's committed to challenging herself on and off the mat and encourages others to do the same. 


Course

Garden of Dreams - Expressing yourself with ease is effortless when you feel calm, safe, and relaxed. However, at times, the mind tends to overthink, and you end up with an overflow of thoughts. Nurture your 'inner garden', sow the seeds, and allow your intuition to guide your writing. Expect to dive into a variety of yoga styles, learn various breathing techniques, and practice meditations as well as Yoga Nidra. All of these practices are intended to help you tap into the abundant, fertile soil of your inner self, which is just waiting to be explored and nurtured.



MLE


Bio

MLE (they/them) is a Calgary based artist who has been joyfully instructing animation to all ages since departing from the Sheridan Bachelor of Applied Animation five years ago. When they aren't sharing the craft of animated film making, they are working on their graphic novel, The Face King Chronicles funded by the Canada Council of the Arts. MLE. encourages a wholistic approach to creativity, including physical and emotional wellbeing


Course

Quick Draw Animation - Do you like films like Coraline and Wallace and Gromit? Do you ever wonder how these films are made? Learn the basics of animation through the magical technique of cut-paper stop-motion animation! Use our down-shooter cameras and a professional stop-motion program to make short narrative animated films from storyboarding, asset-making to animation! You'll receive a digital copy of your film at the end of the week!



 Michelle Casten Magbanua


Bio

Michelle Casten Magbanua (she/her/siya), is a Filipina-Canadian educator, volunteer, activist, and artist born and raised in Mohkinstsis/ Calgary, AB. She currently teaches a grade 6 class in Chestermere. Majoring in drama education and having been part of the improv club at the U of L, Michelle is passionate about using fine arts to cultivate meaningful change. In her spare time, Michelle loves to sing, dance, and spend time with loved ones. She is excited to be back for her second year teaching at YouthWrite.


Course

Improv to Page - An exploration into playwriting and performance through improvised storytelling. Using drama exercises as a medium, this course will work through expanding story arc and character development for you to use in your writing!




Loren Spector


Bio

Loren Spector is a Calgary-based visual artist and printmaker whose work has been exhibited both locally and internationally. She is an art teacher, a reckless skier and freestyle golfer, and mom to two energetic children who keep her on her toes. She looks forward to her time at YouthWrite as a highlight of the summer, because of the creative young people she gets to work with there.


Course

Identity Express - Bring your favourite words to this session, and you'll bring them to life in a visual art context. Examine their own self-identity while creating an Identity Collage, a Text Textile (batiq), and a Quote-in-Context Painting that gets up close and personal. This is where visual art meets writing, as your words inspire mixed-media images. Bring painting clothes, a head full of ideas, and any quotes that inspire you. Oh ya, and bring that fearless imagination, too.



 Sue-Shane Tsomondo


Bio

Sue-Shane Tsomondo Is a literary arts activist, freelance writer, and the Executive Director of a Calgary-based performance art organization. Sue-Shane graduated with a BA in International Relations and a minor in English from the University of Calgary. In 2019, she created a literary arts platform to highlight the work of BIPOC writers. Her work in the literary arts has been featured in Avenue Magazine and The Calgary Journal. Deep down inside, Sue-Shane is still a kid asking, "who the hell am I?"


Course

Brave New Voices: Try your hand at collaborative poetry writing and performance. Perform in groups so that you have a platform to share your poetry. You'll use the form of Brave New Voices to come up with new ideas for collaborative poetry writing and performance. 




Spyder Yardley-Jones


Bio

Spyder Yardley-Jones (he/him) is an internationally recognized cartoonist, painter and sculptor. He has been teaching at YouthWrite since its inception. Spyder's artwork has been on exhibition in the US and Canada including The Art Gallery of Alberta. He has illustrated an award-winning graphic novel and created the artwork for Theatre Network's production of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH. Spyder illustrated the forthcoming graphic comic, THE LOFTS, written by Rylan Kafara, which will be published in both digital and hardcopy!


Course

YouthWrite Oraculum - Each camper will receive a scroll. On this scroll they will write and illustrate a daily prediction of the future in their made up wonderland . But, like life, there will be the proverbial wrench thrown into the works.


 

Nicole Zylstra


Bio

Nicole Zylstra is a seasoned improv performer, instructor and coach who loves how longform improv combines drama, comedy, and audience participation. Nicole spent 16 years as a member of Calgary’s improvised soap opera Dirty Laundry, and is a veteran performer and teacher with local longform supergroup The Kinkonauts. She is a master of narrative genre improv, having played with the Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Musical teams and adores performing All Request Heartache with her improv duo partner, Sara Simpson, in Calgary, Toronto for the Big City Improv Fest, and soon in Montreal. Nicole’s passion for improv is contagious, and she has a talent for bringing out the best in her students. She thinks improv rules make good rules for real life.


Course

Eye Say - More info soon!


 

 

 Blue Pencil Café with Timothy Anderson


Bio

Timothy Anderson, is multidisciplinary: books, stories, plays, screenplays, articles, essays, opera texts etc. He's been librettist-in-residence with the Canadian Opera Company, won a reality TV show, performed operas, musicals, Shakespeare, on radio and in recordings. He’s an editor, book publisher, director, painter, composer, and university instructor. Breathe art.


Activity

Blue Pencil Café - Share a piece of writing with our resident editing expert and get constructive feedback on your wordsmithery! Poetry, fiction, dialogue, plots, operas, plays - our Blue Pencil expert can help you with your craft. Sign up is daily at camp.


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!

Yemariam Abebayehu   


Yemariam Abebayehu is a YouthWrite alum and member of SWYC (Edmonton's Spoken Word Youth Choir). Her first year at YouthWrite was in 2020, but she feels like she's been a part of YouthWrite for much longer! Yemariam is graduating from the University of Alberta with a BA in Psychology this spring, and is excited to pursue a cross-continental education in Switzerland this fall. Yemariam is *Super* stoked for summer with YouthWrite and for being Gail’s favourite.




Anna Cooley - Lead Super

Anna Cooley is an award-winning director, writer, cinematographer, and producer who has been telling stories with compelling characters and strong messages for over 20 years. Her projects push the boundaries of conventional storytelling by identifying unique narratives, collaborating with artists from a diverse range of disciplines, and experimenting with cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality. Her recently completed projects include The Goats of Monesiglio, Living Without Menace, See Me, Abracadavers Season 2, Garden Shark: there are some things dementia can't touch and sandboxxii.com. Upcoming projects include the feature film FaultlineI and series Scout I and Gender? I Hardly Know Them. Anna has been connected to YouthWrite for 22 years as both a camper and supervisor. She just can't get enough of Gail. And of course, she is Gail's favourite!




Cadence De Dios   


Cadence De Dios (they/them) is a poet and spoken word artist residing in Edmonton, Alberta.They have performed for several different local festivals such as The Edmonton Poetry Festival, The Edmonton International Fringe Festival, and The Found Festival. They just think art is neat, whatever form it comes in. But are absolutely enamoured with poetry, dance and playing music. They are excited to help spread the joy of writing at YouthWrite this summer and to be Gail’s favourite.



Joey Lucius

Joey Lucius - Lead Super


Joey Lucius is a Canadian Comedy Award-winning performer and has been a staple at Edmonton’s Rapid Fire Theatre since 2007. He’s also a real life certified teacher! As a writer, Joey is a contributor to the online Beaverton, and is currently developing a project about the Filipino-Canadian experience that received a letter of interest from the CBC. He thinks birds are cool! And he knows he is Gail’s favourite!




Miranda Martini

Miranda is a musician, writer and composer. She co-wrote music for John Ware Reimagined, a musical about the life and impact of Alberta cowboy John Ware. Her face and voice can also be seen and heard in the documentary John Ware Reclaimed. Miranda works as a composer, music director and music dramaturg for theatre, most recently directing music for We’re Gonna Die with Verb Theatre in Calgary.  She is currently working on a sci-fi musical. As a former camper, Miranda can’t wait to be back at YouthWrite this year as a Super and Gail’s favourite!




Aftikhar Mominzada   


Aftikhar Mominzada is a Finance major at the University of Alberta with specialization in investment banking. He is a skilled musician, proficient in guitar and saxophone, and a second-time seasoned supervisor at YouthWrite. He is excited about meeting the campers and wordplaying with them as well as being Gail’s favourite!




Maia Tustonic

is a Journalism and Political Science student at Carleton University with a passion for shining a light on all kinds of untold stories. A proud alumna of StoryBook Theatre’s SSIP and St. Mary’s Theatre and Choir programs, Maia has loved writing, theatre, and singing for as long as she can remember. She is beyond excited to join YouthWrite in creating memories full of imagination and friendship this summer, and so looks forward to becoming Gail’s favourite!




YouthWrite Director- Coordinator

Gail Sidonie Sobat


is 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!



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