April 15, 2010
This morning, I visited Narcoossee Elementary School in Narcoossee, Florida and met with approximately 600 students. I gave three presentations in the school cafeteria for third, fourth, and fifth grades. Each presentation lasted approximately 25 minutes with some time for Q & A at the end.
The students were fantastic. The only slight rowdiness occurred with the third graders when my PowerPoint slide landed on my Miley Cyrus and Jonas Bros book covers! You’d think the teen stars had made a special appearance on the stage behind me. I knew I had to move past that slide and QUICK or I’d lose my audience in the hubbub!
For all three presentations, I focused on my work as an author and also tried to encourage the students to become writers RIGHT now. I emphasized the many different types of writing styles and gave examples of how they can participate in any of these as young writers.
The theme for my presentation focused on a quote by Abraham Lincoln: “Writing is the great invention of the world, great in enabling us to converse with the dead, the absent, and the unborn, at all distances of time and space.” I made bookmarks for the students with a picture of the Abraham Lincoln statue in the Lincoln Memorial and Lincoln’s quote.
Following the presentations, I participated in a book signing that the school arranged for my Battle of the Alamo book. This was a fun opportunity to meet with the students (briefly) and sign their books.
Overall a fantastic visit at Narcoossee. Thanks for arranging this, Mrs. Phillips!