Making Dreams a Reality

by Thad Falkner, Head of School

Is there anything more exciting than discovering that a cherished dream could actually become a reality? Recently, Wilson students got to do just that, through a meaningful workshop with three accomplished children’s authors.  Thanks to librarian Amanda Dressler’s relationship with local bookshop The Novel Neighbor and funding by Wilson’s Excellence Program, three OMG (Oh Middle Grades) Bookfest authors worked with our 1st-6th graders for the afternoon.  Angela Dominguez, Vashti Harrison, and Courtney Sheinmel shared their inspiration and experiences as authors and illustrators in an interactive assembly with the school. The fun and learning only began there, though! Following the assembly, each class had the privilege of doing a break-out session with one of the authors on a variety of topics.  For example, in first grade, Ms. Dominguez demonstrated her artistic skills by drawing characters at request, and in 6th grade, students used the elements of plot discussed by Ms. Sheinmel to craft their own short stories. Additionally, Ms. Harrison was kind enough to meet with a student who aspires to be an illustrator. Our Middle Grade dreamers saw first-hand that it is possible to pursue what they love, whether it is writing, illustrating, or something different entirely, through their time and collaboration with three successful women who have done it themselves.

This in itself would have made for a special day for any child, but this is Wilson, so there is more to the story. Many aspects of this thoughtfully-planned opportunity for our students made it unique to Wilson and to our mission.

• Sized for Success: Because of our small community, we were able to include all of our 1st-6th graders, which brought the added benefit of a memorable shared experience.
  
• Global Perspective: The subject material of some of the feature books highlighted people of character from across the world, as well as the challenges of finding your way in a new culture.
  
• 21st Century Skills: As with our Visiting Artist, our students were able to work collaboratively not only with each other, but also with talented adults.
  
• Practice the Process: We are convinced that process-focused learning is the best way to strong outcomes.  Not only did the authors discuss the processes they use in their work, but our students got a chance to practice them.
  
• Still Classic & Innovative: In one of the break-out sessions, Ms. Harrison used a tablet to demonstrate, step-by-step how she creates an illustration.  Her progression was projected onto a classroom screen, allowing the students to get a detailed view of her work from beginning to end.
  

Arthur Ashe once said, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”   By giving our students experiences like this one with our Visiting Authors, we are equipping them with the confidence and skills they need to begin making their dreams a reality even now.