Local not-for-profit literary festival, Words on the Waves, will relaunch its Schools Program in early June to help deliver an educational series of author events for Central Coast primary school students.
This year’s program on June 1 and 2 will see students talk with a range of authors including a natural history illustrator, a physics teacher, podcaster and an Indigenous illustrator.
Schools Program Coordinator, Jacqui Barton, said the program aims to create and encourage a community of readers, writers, and storytellers by connecting students with Australia’s best loved children’s authors.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for Central Coast students to rub shoulders with published authors at live appearances, take part in interesting workshops and discover inspiration to feed their curiosity and help them create great stories,” Barton said.
From left, Sami Bayly, Katrina Nannestad and Yvette Poshoglian
The group said students across the Central Coast have been underserved for literacy and capacity-building opportunities.
The two-day festival will offer four author panels and four creative writing workshops for visiting primary schools at Umina Beach Surf Club, as well as a Family Fun Day session for pre-schoolers as part of the Words on the Waves Writers Festival weekend (June 3-6).
In 2021, the Schools Program celebrated the theme ‘Youth as Warriors of Change’ and welcomed over 1,200 student attendances and from more than 10 Central Coast primary schools.
With $5 tickets per panel session and $20 per author workshop (including a book), bookings can be made via wordsonthewaves.com.au
All Schools Program offerings are booked through the schools only.
The Family Fun Day sessions are open to the public, and are primarily geared towards preschoolers, their siblings and families – this will be released separately closer to the date
In 2023, Words on the Waves will rebrand the Kids & Schools Program into the Ripples Program, and also facilitate author visits to schools year-round, thus enhancing the impact and reach of the Kids & Schools Program.
Maisy Rae