LitCon: Volume 1
We are an AACPS: Student Program, Office of School Library Media & Glen Burnie High School
On Wednesday morning, young adult author Jason Reynolds stood in front of an auditorium packed with ninth grade students from across the county. “I want to be here to tell you my story,” he said, “but I want you to know your story is far more important than anyone else’s.”
National Book Award Finalist Jason Reynolds joined Glen Burnie High School (GBHS) as the keynote speaker for LitCon: Volume 1, Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ first teen literature conference. Reynold’s talk may have been the climax, but it was only part of an event that brought groups of students together to connect and engage through a shared love of young adult (YA) literature.
At the start of the day, ninth grade students from every high school, as well as Mary Moss @ J. Albert Adams and Phoenix Academy, arrived at GBHS for the event. Designed to give the 270 attendees the experience of attending a professional conference, students received lanyards and swag bags when they checked-in and the event kicked-off with a performance from GBHS’ dance company. From there, students moved into break-out session on topics from “Nonfiction Books that Can Change Your Life” to a “Books to Movies” Kahoot competition.
Walking through the building where the sessions took place, students were talking with YA authors, workshopping their own writing, learning the basics of getting published, and even working their way through a Long Way Down Escape Room. In the Skype session with Jennifer Lantham, the author of Dreamland Burning, was answering students’ questions about the historical references in her novel, who she read growing up, and the music she listens to while she writes. Maya, a Meade High School student, loved Dreamland and was excited to speak directly to the author about her inspirations. “You get a more personal connection to the literature,” she said.
After the sessions ended, visiting students joined Glen Burnie’s entire ninth grade class for the keynote with Jason Reynolds. For 45 minutes, 850 students sat in near silence while Reynolds shared his experience growing up in DC and feeling frustrated with being told to read books that had nothing to with the reality he saw on the streets of the city. As a result, he didn’t read his first novel until he was 17 years old. “It wasn’t that I hated to read” he told the students, “I hated to be bored.”
As an author, Reynolds has been committed to making sure that teen readers see themselves reflected in his books by writing characters that look and sound like the people from their own neighborhoods. All students in attendance read Long Way Down, Reynold’s novel in verse, and many were familiar with his other work, including All American Boys, Ghost, and Boy in the Black Suit. “His books are one of the first times that I saw minorities as main characters,” said Raenaya, the North County High School student who introduced the author on stage. “[Jason Reynolds] shows that even if you find yourself in a bad situation, you still have choices.”
After a Q&A with Reynolds, the students moved on to lunch and group discussions about Long Way Down before returning home to their own schools.
Cathy Gillette, Coordinator for the Office of School Library Media, said “Our hope with LItCon Volume 1, was to make reading come alive for teens and motivate them to read more by tapping into their interests and speaking to them in their language.” From the students who left describing the event as “exciting,” “incredible,” and “something new,” the first of what the county hopes to be an annual event was a success.
“Thank You” to Our Sponsors
Organized by the AACPS Office of School Library Media and media specialist from around the county, LitCon was only possible through the support of our partners. In addition to financial support from the Office of Equity & Accelerated Student Achievement, the Office of English & Secondary Reading provided extra copies of Long Way Down to every school and the Anne Arundel County Public Library provided speakers, notebooks, and 200 free books for students to take home. In addition, the 21st Century Education Foundation used funds raised by AACPS Central Office employees in the 2018 Employee Giving Campaign to cover the cost for the conferences’ three author Skype sessions and provide lunch for all 270 conference participants.
If you are interested in supporting next year’s LitCon, please contact Cathy Gillette at cgillette@aacps.org.
