2021 North Country Young
Writers’ Festival
Workshop Facilitator
The North Country Young
Writers’ Festival is looking for five inspiring student leaders to serve as
workshop facilitators for its May 13, 2021 festival, held at White Mountains
Community College in Berlin, New Hampshire. The festival serves 7th-12th
grade students from New Hampshire’s northern region.
Facilitators will be
responsible for developing and leading the workshops in creative writing
offered at the festival under the tutelage of the New Hampshire State Poet
Laureate/festival director. The goal is to inspire 7-12th graders
and give them a great experience with self-expression. The number of
participants in workshop sessions will be kept small to follow state guidelines
for social distancing. Facilitators gain invaluable classroom and leadership
experience for job and graduate school applications. In addition to leading a
writing workshop, facilitators assist the festival director during the event,
helping with sign-in, informational booths, lunchtime games and raffles, and
the Open Mike.
Stipend:
·
$1,250 for attending online
training sessions and presenting at festival
·
Hotel lodging, meals, and
transportation costs covered for facilitators from outside the North Country.
(Meals will be covered for North Country residing facilitators.)
[Facilitators will need to
provide their own transportation to the festival; gas and mileage will be
covered for them.]
Skills and Qualifications:
1. Applicants must be an enrolled undergraduate or graduate student at Salem State University, the University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, or White Mountains Community College, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. We seek applicants who are majoring in English or creative writing (Salem State University, the University of New Hampshire, or Plymouth
State University) or in the Liberal Arts program (White Mountains Community
College). Students from other majors from these four colleges/universities who are significantly involved in creative writing may also apply.
2. Preference given to
applicants with demonstrated leadership or teaching experience. (“Teaching
experience” is broadly defined: tutoring in a writing center, coaching sports,
serving on the editorial board of a school’s literary magazine, or volunteering
qualify.)
3. Flexibility: facilitators
need to be able to move their workshop online (with support) in case the
pandemic prevents an in-person event.
Job Duties:
·
Participate in 2-3 online
training sessions during December 2020-February 2021
·
Develop, refine, and practice
a 60-minute creative writing workshop for online or in-person delivery
·
Be on-site in Berlin, NH, on
May 12 and May 13, 2021
·
Present workshop session at
festival
· Provide event support during
festival
Application:
Send your resume and a cover
letter. In the cover letter:
1. Provide the name, job title,
phone number, and email of 2-3 individuals who are familiar with your work
ethic and other strengths.
2. List the genres of creative
writing you most identify with: poetry, short stories, longer fiction, flash
fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, screenwriting, playwriting, etc.
3. List the courses you have
taken in creative writing.
4. Mention your publications
(not required).
5. Discuss prior job and/or
mentoring experiences that demonstrate your reliability and abilities as a peer
leader.
6. A substantial paragraph in
which you describe what it takes to lead a dynamic writing class, using details
from actual classes you’ve taken or ones that you wish you had a chance to
take. What do you see as the best way to teach creative writing? What are the
best practices to keep students’ attention
and build students’ enthusiasm, self-confidence, and creativity?
Process:
Applications will be reviewed
by a board of faculty from Salem State University, White Mountains Community
College, University of New Hampshire, and Plymouth State University. For full
consideration, applications should be sent as a Word document to apeary@salemstate.edu by December 5, 2020.
·
Notification of Round 2 by
December 15, 2020
·
Interviews will be conducted
online between December 15-December 30, 2020.
·
Applicants notified of final
results by email by January 5, 2021.