Western hosted the Prairie Lands Writing Project (PLWP) camp graduation for 117 campers from 26 area elementary and middle schools in ceremonies on June 25. The “Writers Under Construction” elementary school campers and the “Cyberwriters: Publishing Our Generation” middle school campers conducted readings for parents and friends and held closing celebrations in Kemper Recital Hall and Eder Hall, room 210, respectively.
Beginning June 2, the campers met at Western as a part of PLWP’s ongoing partnership with the St. Joseph School District. The students were nominated by their teachers for their outstanding writing and reading skills and had to submit a letter of application describing their literacy practices before being accepted for the camps. During the four-week camp, the students participated in literature circles, completed daily journal writings and workshopped several longer pieces that were published in camp anthologies, along with other student writings. This year the elementary campers participated in a writing marathon at the Mt. Mora cemetery in St. Joseph, and the middle school campers completed a number of digital projects, merging images and sound with their creative writings.
The 2009 camp directors and teachers include Jerri Fischer of Lindberg Elementary; Ann Dotson, Shannon Harris, Betty Stacey and Christie Hofmeister of Skaith Elementary; Jill Steinmetz of Maryville High; Tyler Carlson of Savannah High: Tia Frahm of Neeley Elementary; and Stacia Studer of Bode Middle.(This text and these photos are from the June 29 edition of Tower Topics: http://www.missouriwestern.edu/TowerTopics/)
