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MEDIA RELEASE |
MASC Young Authors’ and Illustrators’ Conference Connects Children with Professionals
Students from across the Region Attend a Day of Literature and Art with some of Canada’s Best Writers and Illustrators
April 15, 2008 (Ottawa) – Eagle Professional Resources (Eagle) is proud to sponsor MASC’s Young Authors’ and Illustrators’ Conference for the eighth consecutive year. The annual event, this year running April 16th through to the 18th, brings Canadian authors and illustrators together with children who are passionate about creative writing and art. Young students will have the opportunity to meet successful professionals and learn first hand how to bring their work to life with exciting plots and original artwork.
This is the seventeenth year that MASC has organized the conference. Over 158,000 students across the region are invited to submit applications. Approximately 600 successful applicants (200 new students per day) are selected to attend the three day event, held at The Albert Street Education Centre in Ottawa. Each student will attend two of eight possible workshops. In each of the workshops, award-winning authors and illustrators share their secrets and provide hands-on learning experiences that children will take home and hold with them forever. The conference also hosts a book fair throughout the day with the opportunity to have books autographed from the professionals running workshops. This year’s participating authors and illustrators include: Sharon McKay, Ron Broda, Graham Ross, Sylvia Gunnery, Jan Andrews, Linda Hutsell-Manning, Marty Chan, and Anne Carter.
Kassya Murray, a grade four student at Maple Ridge Elementary School and the daughter of Eagle’s Marketing Manager, Lisa Murray, will be in attendance at the event. “She has been eagerly waiting for her day to arrive,” said Lisa Murray. “She’s been busy at home working on short stories and a book that she intends to publish on ‘Mom’s’ printer. Having been involved in this event for several years now, I have no doubt that she will come away with an even greater passion for writing along with new knowledge and valuable tools to improve her writing skills.”
The benefits that students take away from this conference are priceless. Not only are they given the opportunity to learn new skills from intriguing people, but they are also inspired to tap into their creativity. “I’ll always remember the feeling of excitement running through my pen and onto the paper,” exclaimed one student about last year’s conference. “This is the best day of my life so far,” said another. “Remember my name because I’m going to be a famous writer someday.”
“MASC’s dynamic connections between artists, learning and young people are truly strengthened through Eagle’s collaboration in the Young Authors and Illustrators Conference,” said Audrey Churgin, Executive Director for MASC. “Eagle’s support for students helps MASC give a real-life experience in the arts, establishing an important leadership role for the corporate community for the children MASC serves.”
“Eagle is once again very proud to partner with MASC to help them put this conference together,” said Kevin Dee, Eagle CEO. “The students demonstrate a passion for this subject that they will carry with them throughout their life, that is very cool!”
About MASC
MASC, a registered charitable organization, delivers multicultural art programs in English and in French throughout eastern Ontario and western Quebec. Through its activities with more than 70 professional artists and subsidies to underfunded schools, last year MASC reached 158,000 students in 350 schools from 19 school boards. For more information, visit our website at www.masconline.ca.
About Eagle
Founded in 1996, Eagle is one Canada’s largest and most successful IT Staffing companies. A Canadian–owned company with ten (10) offices from coast-to-coast, Eagle specializes in sourcing technology professionals for contract and full-time positions. The company has been named one of Canada’s 50 Best managed companies every year since 1999, was named a Top 20 Best Small and Medium Employers in Canada in April 2006 and achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification in June 2006. Eagle is also a very active advocate within the Canadian staffing industry association (ACSESS), supports many charities and provides fourteen (14) scholarships to college students each year. To learn more about Eagle and its network of offices, please visit www.eagleonline.com or call toll-free 1-800-95-NESST (63778). Check out Eagle’s blog at http://eagleceonews.blogspot.com.
Photo Opportunities: The Albert Street Education Centre
440 Albert Street
9:15 am to 9:45 am and 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm
April 16, 17, 18, 2008
MASC Media Contacts
Audrey Churgin
Executive Director, MASC
Phone: (613) 725-9119
Email: audreychurgin@masconline.ca
Glynis Ellens
Conference Coordinator
Phone: (613) 248-8231
Email: glynis.ellens@gmail.com
Eagle Media Contact
Dan Gasser
Marketing Coordinator
Phone: (613) 234-1810 ext. 3247
Email: Dan_Gasser@eagleonline.com
