What’s Happening?

This year you’ll experience something new at the large gatherings known as “general sessions” that take place throughout the program. Students from across the country will be engaging with the keynote speakers in presentations and dialogs that speak to the impact of the work we do each day.

The Thursday general session, “Our Family Gathering: A Conversation with Students and Educators,” will look at the efficacy and ethics of high school teachers’ teaching Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and the question of whether they should teach not only this novel but also other sensitive texts. Students, teachers, and literary experts will engage in a thoughtful dialog on the topic.

Friday’s general session features Jimmy Santiago Baca, a poet and writer with a passion for lifelong literacy. This session takes the audience through a literary and audial and visual narrative conversation of his life—before he could read and write, in Arizona to his present. Students with whom Baca has worked will present with him.

On Saturday Jacqueline Woodson will explore how students of all differences relate to and think about her works’ relevance to Generation Z in the United States.

Finally, on Sunday illustrator Gareth Hinds will engage with students and the audience as they explore how the graphic novel genre offers a fresh way to approach the classics.

More exciting events and opportunities are in the works. Check back regularly for updates!