Nature workshop focuses on writing for children
NORTHEASTERN Pa Aspiring writers can learn how to help children connect with nature at an intensive workshop this spring. “Writing from Nature: Blazing a Trail from Field Journal to Publication” will be held Apr. 23 - 27, in a mixed-hardwood forest near Honesdale. Experts will give instruction in nature journaling and writing about nature for children. Each day, participants will apply the techniques they have learned in guided nature walks, writing exercises, and one-to-one manuscript critiques. Tips in photography and photo research will be available for those who are interested. Nature-journaling expert Mark Baldwin will lead the workshop. He is education director of The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History in Jamestown, New York. An avid naturalist and educator, Baldwin has been keeping nature journals for 20 years. Since 1990, he has taught his craft to more than 3,000 students, teachers, and amateur naturalists. The faculty will also include Andy Boyles, science editor of Highlights for Children magazine and Boyds Mills Press; Kathleen Hayes, editor of Highlights High Five magazine; Solon Morse, an ecologist with The Roger Tory Peterson Institute; veteran forester Paul Kowalczyk; and Ed Wesely, director of the Butterfly Barn Nature Center in Milanville, Pennsylvania. Special guest Laura Gander, Production Manager, Boyds Mills Press, will discuss publication requirements for photographs. The workshop will be held at the home of the Highlights for Children Founders, situated in scenic northeastern Pennsylvania. Surrounded by a 1,300-acre mixed-hardwood forest, the property is home to whitetail deer, timid black bears, and a variety of birds and other wildlifea naturalist’s delight. “Writing from Nature” is co-sponsored by The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History (RTPI) of Jamestown, New York, and Highlights Foundation, Inc., of Honesdale, Pennsylvania. RTPI is a national, nonprofit nature-education organization with headquarters at the birthplace of world-renowned artist and naturalist Roger Tory Peterson (19081996). Dedicated to preserving the collections and legacy of Dr. Peterson, RTPI’s mission is to create passion for and knowledge of the natural world in the hearts and minds of children by inspiring and guiding the study of nature. The mission reflects the belief that people who develop awareness and passion for the natural world will become committed to its preservation. Roger Tory Peterson saw himself first as a teacher. He used his exquisite skills in painting, photography, and writing to bring the wonders of nature to everyone. Workshop leader Mark Baldwin continues this tradition, emphasizing that “sharing your sense of wonder about nature with children takes special skills. It takes an alert mind, a keen sense of observation, and a passionate heart to translate nature’s language into words that come alive on a page.” The Highlights Foundation created its Founders Workshops to raise the level of the offering of writing and illustrating for children. A variety of programs are presented for all levels of writers, from those just getting started to those who are published but wish to hone their skills. These workshops are led by successful, supportive authors and editors determined to help writers achieve their goals. Limited to 15 participants, the intimate setting is unique. Participants are housed on-site in private cabins, and lectures take place in the nearby Boyds Mills House, a landmark of children’s literature. Recently restored, the home of the Founders of Highlights for Children retains the feeling of a simpler time. For more information, visit RTPI at www.rtpi.org; Highlights Foundation at www.highlightsfoundation.org; or contact the program assistant, Jo Lloyd, at 570-253-1192 or jalloyd@highlightsfoundation.org.