Keilor Downs College is celebrating a recent venture with Creative Partnerships Victoria, in a collaboration featuring admired author in residence, Dee White.
Dee White’s engaging sessions have captivated and inspired the Year 8 cohort, drawing from her own personal experiences to illuminate the art of storytelling.
Students have delved into the creative process alongside White, exploring character development, setting, and plot construction with fervour and imagination.
Reflecting on the program, White said the students are currently in the process of finalising their fiction pieces before they are put together in a published anthology.
“We have a lot of stories, poems, and illustrations that capture all aspects of storytelling and visual story telling,” White said.
From generating characters to crafting compelling narratives, students have embraced the opportunity to unleash their creativity and hone their writing skills. With White’s guidance, they have navigated the intricacies of editing and revision, gaining valuable insights into the craft of storytelling.
For White, the program represents more than just literary exploration – it’s about nurturing the next generation of storytellers.
“When I was in school I had an amazing English teacher who was extremely supportive of me and she still comes to all of my book launches. Having a mentor or somebody you can talk to about your writing has been fabulous and I wanted to be that person for these students,” she said.
“The students have been amazing … they’ve had complete creative freedom which they don’t often have because of curriculum restrictions. I wanted to inspire them to feel like they are storytellers and that they have an important story to tell because everyone does. I also wanted to inspire them to be creative and to enjoy being creative.”
“The older we get the fewer opportunities students get within the school system to have creative freedom and tell the stories they want to tell. It’s really great to go into schools and work with aspiring young writers and people who might not realise they are storytellers at heart.”
Hannah Hammoud
