“Follow your dreams” is a lesson Hemet Unified educators teach their students every day. However, telling students to follow their dreams is one things, but to provide examples of people following their dreams is another. Idyllwild School, in collaboration with Idyllwild Arts Academy, provided two examples of people following their dreams.
Idyllwild School’s middles school students attended an assembly that featured two up and coming authors. Students met Kristen Paige Madonia, author of Invisible Fault Lines and Eliot Treichel, author of A Series of Small Maneuvers. During the assembly the authors discussed how they connected to their main character, how they created each novel, and their personal writing process.
In preparation for the two authors’ visit, students read the first chapter of each novel in their Language Arts class. Due to their reading, students asked each of the authors engaging questions which led to thoughtful discussions. Students learned that Madonia knew at an early age she wanted to be a writer and Treichel never thought much of writing until he attended a creative writing class in college. Students left the assembly inspired and motivated to continue on a path to success.
Thank you Idyllwild School staff and Idyllwild Arts Academy for inviting Madonia and Treichel to speak to the middle school students at Idyllwild School. This experience may have inspired a future writer to continue their goal of one day getting their work published.