The Peoria (Arizona) Unified School District is sponsoring a teen writers program June 8 to 10, 2010. This is the first year they are holding this writing workshop for teen writers, and I will be speaking at the event, representing the science fiction and fantasy genres.
From reading the web site I linked to above, I learned that the entire event was conceived by a student at Ironwood High School in Glendale. She and her mother, who is a teacher at a different high school, executed the plan to create a three day event. They advertise it as the first annual, so hopefully it will continue for many years to come.
It’s an exciting opportunity for young writers in the Phoenix area, and I’m looking forward to participating. It appears they designed the event to be student-led adult-guided, a model that works extremely well for the Boy Scouts. They plan extensive peer-led workshops and writing events, but also scheduled local writers to speak in person, and out-of-state writers via video-conferencing.