Chapter President Tammy Fletcher said this event is a great opportunity for children to learn more about possible careers or opportunities in life. It was previously an event hosted by teachers of area schools, but it eventually came to a halt. Fletcher, however, said it was too great of a program to let it end.
“I just thought it’s a wonderful opportunity for the kids to learn about something more than reading, writing and arithmetic, and that there are more jobs and opportunities out there for them than just being a doctor, a nurse, fireman or something like that – I wanted them to see that there are many possibilities of things that they can do with their life,” Fletcher said.
This year marks the 19th Annual Young Artists’ Conference at the Liberty Elementary School in North Judson. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. and runs through 2 p.m. CT.
This year’s keynote speaker for the opening program is Shannon Anderson, a literacy coach, author, and presenter from Rensselaer. She has been published in Highlights Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and has a picture book entitled, I am Not a Pirate.
On top of that, Fletcher said a number of other presenters will be there as well.
“Every year is different. We have different presenters, the children split up into two groups and there are four presenters for each group. In the afternoon we have a program that the whole family is invited back to see, usually 45 minutes to an hour. This year, we have Adzooks Puppets, and they are lifesize puppets who make musical instruments out of strange things and they invite some of the children down from the audience to help them play the instruments,” Fletcher said.
Registration forms are available at local schools, libraries, and the Starke County Youth Group. A mid-morning snack and lunch is included in the price of registration. The registration form and fee of $5 are due no later than March 10.
