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2007 Whittier
College Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts
Featuring
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2007 KEYNOTE
SPEAKER: Gary Soto was born in Fresno, California and attended California State University at Fresno, from which he graduated with a degree in English. He later earned a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of California at Irvine. Since age 25, Soto’s poetry and stories have earned him numerous awards including the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video for Pool Party in 1993, followed by a nomination for a National Book Award in 1995. Soto’s book, Too Many Tamales, was named a Booklist Books for Youth Editors' Choices of 1993. Hazel Rochman of Booklist said, "Gary Soto is an accomplished poet and adult writer, and his children's stories are widely popular. His first entry into the picture book genre is a joyful success." Soto's newest book is entitled, Mercy on These Teenage Chimps. On
his thirteenth birthday, Ronnie woke up feeling like a chimp--all long
armed, big eared, and gangly. He's been muddling through each gawky day
since. Now his best friend, Joey, has turned thirteen, too--and after
Joey humiliates himself in front of a cute girl, he climbs a tree and
refuses to come down. So Ronnie sets out to woo the girl on Joey's
behalf. After all, teenage chimps have to stick together. When not writing, Soto volunteers as an English teacher at his church. He also enjoys eating at new restaurants, which he often does with his wife, Carolyn. The Soto family resides in Berkeley, California. Visit Gary Soto's official website.
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Zilpha Keatley
Snyder Award
Quick Links
Maps
2006 Photo Gallery
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Award-winning author of
Too Many
Tamales,
Baseball in April, Living Up the Street
and Chato's Kitchen
and his new book
Mercy on These Teenage Chimps
SPECIAL GUEST:
KRISTY ORONA-RAMIREZ
Whittier College Alumnus
&
Author of Kiki's Journey
Kristy Orona-Ramirez (Taos Pueblo/ Tarahumara) makes her author debut with Kiki’s Journey, a tale about the challenges and rewards of contemporary Native American life, and one girl’s discovery of where her heart belongs during a trip to Taos Pueblo.
Raised in the Whittier area, Orona-Ramirez showed a penchant for the creative arts from an early age, and has been writing short stories and poetry since she was seven years old. While at East Whittier Middle School, Orona-Ramirez received the "Jessamyn West Whittier College Writer's Contest Honorable Mention" award. She later graduated from California High School also in the City of Whittier. An alumnus of Whittier College's teacher credential program, Orona-Ramirez also has earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration. She now works with 6th through 8th grade students in Riverside, California as Project Specialist and Academic Coach for the Alvord Unified School District.
Orona-Ramirez's recent projects include a chap book of poetry coming out in December 2006 entitled, Reclamation Road, part of a Native American Women's Chap Book series. In her spare time Orona-Ramirez performs as one of the lead singers for the Native American Northern drumming group, The Mankillers. She also can be found boxing or Muay Thai kick boxing and enjoying the outdoors. She currently resides in Riverside, California with her husband and four children.
SPECIAL GUEST:
ZILPHA KEATLEY SNYDER
Whittier College Alumnus
&
Newbery-Award Winning
Author of The Egypt Game,
The Headless Cupid,
and
The Witches of Worm
Zilpha Keatley Snyder is a very special guest at Whittier College's annual Children's Literature Conference. Snyder is a three time recipient of the Newbery Honor Award and a Whittier College graduate, class of 1948.
Snyder has been writing books for children since 1964 when her first book, A Season of Ponies, was published. Since that time she has completed 44 books, including two books for young adults, four picture books for children and a book of poetry. Snyder’s newest children’s book, The Treasures of Weatherby, will be published in December 2006.
The Whittier College Department of Education & Child Development presents the Zilpha Keatley Snyder Award, named in her honor, at the Children’s Literature Conference to a teacher who has demonstrated exemplary practices in encouraging and supporting children/youth to enjoy reading. To learn more about the Zilpha Keatley Snyder Award or to nominate an educator, please visit the Zilpha Keatley Snyder Award website.
Look for Snyder's new book
in stores December 2006!
The
Children's Literature Conference is a collaboration
between Whittier College and Rio Hondo College
The Children's Literature Conference is partially funded by Title V funding from the United States Department of Education and is part of a series of jointly conceived projects and programs between Whittier College and Rio Hondo College. This five-year Cooperative Title V Grant, titled Maximizing Teacher Education Through a Cooperative Seamless Path, began in October 2003.
Goals of the grant include:
Recruitment of bilingual and bicultural and/or low income teacher candidates to address the shortage of fully-credentialed K-12 teachers.
Development of a seamless pathway from high schools to community colleges to four-year teacher credentialing colleges.
Implementation of
mentoring systems to support successful transitions from Rio Hondo
College to Whittier College.
For information about the Project TEACH Program at Rio Hondo College, contact:
Rhonda
Simmons, Project TEACH Coordinator
(562) 692-0921, extension 3464 or visit
the
Project TEACH website.
For information about elementary or secondary teacher credential programs at Whittier College, contact:
Catherine George, Credential Analyst
Department of Education & Child Development
(562) 807-4200, extension 4333, or visit her
department webpage.
