Posted by Mary L. Wimberley on 2006-04-25

Student teachers from Samford University and Miles College will lead 170 fifth graders from Fairfield city schools in booktalking and Reader's Theater activities at Samford Friday, April 28.

The third annual Young Authors Conference will feature guest storyteller Debbie Strevy and a morning of storytelling activities involving all the children.

The youngsters will visit a series of stations that will emphasize a different type of literature: fantasy, realistic fiction, historical fiction, and poetry. In another session, each student will read aloud their own original written work.

"These fifth graders have just finished their testing and assessment, so it is a fun reward for their hard work," said Dr. Michele K. Haralson of Samford's Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies.

Students spend a lot of time writing during the fifth grade, she said.

The young writers represent Glen Oaks, Robinson and C.J. Donald elementary schools.

The event, sponsored by the teacher education departments at Samford and Miles, begins at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 1:45 p.m.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.