Links to Purchase Youth Award Winners Books at the bottom of this page.
YOUTH Programs
EMPORIA AREA
About Diverse Voices/Voces Diversas:
Diverse Voices/Voces Diversas is a young authors program working with fifth graders at Emporia elementary schools to enhance literacy skills through creative writing. The students are encouraged to write in the variety of languages they may use and to use illustrations as a way to further communicate. The program emphasizes the importance of creativity, reading and writing skills, self-expression, and acceptance of themselves and one another. The grand finale of the program is the publication of an anthology of the students' writing and book launch event, during which the students read their pieces for the public. The books are published by Meadowlark Press and are available at meadowlarkbookstore.com. The program was established by Emporia nonprofit, House of Morrow, and has had two consecutive years of success and will continue. The program's coordinator, Linzi Garcia, is also a member of Kansas Authors Club.
As the program expands to other area schools, House of Morrow is seeking volunteers to help facilitate the program. Volunteer applications can be found at houseofmorrow.org
Helpful Links:
Diverse Voices/Voces Diversas is a young authors program working with fifth graders at Emporia elementary schools to enhance literacy skills through creative writing. The students are encouraged to write in the variety of languages they may use and to use illustrations as a way to further communicate. The program emphasizes the importance of creativity, reading and writing skills, self-expression, and acceptance of themselves and one another. The grand finale of the program is the publication of an anthology of the students' writing and book launch event, during which the students read their pieces for the public. The books are published by Meadowlark Press and are available at meadowlarkbookstore.com. The program was established by Emporia nonprofit, House of Morrow, and has had two consecutive years of success and will continue. The program's coordinator, Linzi Garcia, is also a member of Kansas Authors Club.
As the program expands to other area schools, House of Morrow is seeking volunteers to help facilitate the program. Volunteer applications can be found at houseofmorrow.org
Helpful Links:
- Diverse Voices Volume 1: https://www.meadowlarkbookstore.com/s/stories/diverse-voices-voces-diversas
- Diverse Voices Volume 2: https://www.meadowlarkbookstore.com/product/diverse-voices-2025/389?cs=true&cst=custom
- House of Morrow page about Diverse Voices, with photos: https://www.houseofmorrow.org/diverse-voices
- Diverse Voices Radio Interview: https://kvoe.com/2025/05/24/270194/
- Diverse Voices Newspaper Interview: https://www.emporiagazette.com/education/article_c5cae551-b39b-4444-abe9-e45b2cfca6bf.html
Linzi Garcia, Diverse Voices Program Coordinator, talks about the program with Kansas Authors Club members at the March 2026 state program.
Kansas Authors Club holds annual Youth Writing Contests, open for entries April 1 to June 15. Read the Youth Contest Guidelines. Click on the covers below if you would like to purchase a copy of a recent youth contest award book. All profit received from these books go to support the youth programs of Kansas Authors Club.
|
|