Sixty Students Complete Third Annual Oce Future Authors Writing Workshop
BOCA RATON, FL—07/22/08—Their pens were flying and ears perked as about 60 lucky students from middle and high schools throughout Palm Beach County, including 10 Glades area students who participated via distance learning, received writing tips from such well-known local authors as Jonathon King, Margaret Ahnert, and James O. Born.
The free eight-day writing workshop held at Boca Raton High School was offered for the third year as part of the Océ Future Authors Writing Project, a collaborative effort by Océ North America and the School District of Palm Beach County. During the summer workshop students become published authors, learn how to improve their writing skills, gain hands-on understanding of how authors are published, and learn about today’s digital print and publishing opportunities.
Students gain insight through interactions with Océ executives, as well as published authors, who lead interactive discussions with the students. The day-long sessions are taught by certified Palm Beach County teachers, who conduct daily writing exercises, coaching sessions and writing practice. Works from each student are then compiled and digitally printed in final book form by Boca Raton-based Oce North America Production Printing Systems division. The book will be unveiled at a book signing event in November.
One Future Author, Blithe Parsons, who will be a freshman this fall at Wellington High School, enjoyed the workshop because it gave her the chance to write freely and uninterrupted for more than an hour each class.
“Personally, I loved the workshop,” she said. “One of my dreams is to become a published author, so I plan to apply what the authors discussed, like writing every day and being persistent.”
Atlantic High School senior Kenneth Rodriguez, Jr. has had a love of writing since 8th grade and hopes to have writing as part of his future career. He said the workshop activities made all of the students think about what it takes to be an author.
