A local elementary school is giving its students a less formal way to show off their writing talents in front of their classmates, teachers and family.
Mary Scroggs Elementary School is bringing back its “Writer’s Cafe” tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the school to give its students an audience with which to share their work.
Kindergarten teacher Pat Flynn said 36 students will read their original poems at the event, but the school wants to put on two similar readings later in the school year.
“The kids have the incentive to present their work to a larger audience,” she said.
Julie Dermody, a teacher at McDougle Elementary School who used to work at Scroggs, originally thought up the idea for the Writer’s Cafe about 10 years ago.
“I was looking for a way for my students to have an authentic audience for their writing,” she said.
Although the school stopped holding the event due to difficulty finding local writers to participate, Dermody said she is pleased the opportunity has been brought back.
“It’s nice to know they care enough about what was started to continue it,” she said.
Local author and storyteller Donna Washington will attend the event to teach students the significant role of writing plays in everyday life.
