One of Those Schools that Feels Like Home...

Hello hello dear blog reader,

Today I visited Heritage Regional High School -- one of the Montreal-area schools I know so well it feels like home.

If you've been following my blog, you will know I was there last month with my friend, photographer Monique Dykstra, to work with Mary Eva's Sec. IV class on a project called Quebec Roots: The Place Where I Live. Mrs. Eva's class is producing a chapter that will be published next spring in a book -- part of a Blue Metropolis Literary Foundation project in which students from across the province use photos and images to describe their communities. Mrs. Eva's class is focusing on the subject of rules.

Though I did spend my break working with Mrs. Eva's students, helping them edit their writing so it is as clear and crisp as possible, I spent most of the day with Norma Hubbard's two Sec. IV classes. Mrs. Hubbard wanted me to talk about my life as a writer -- in the hope that it might inspire her students as they gear up to work on their final English exam. That's me with Mrs. Hubbard and some of her students in today's second pic.

Of course, you must be wondering about the pic at the top of this page! It's a photo I took of a student named Mika's agenda book. She painted over the own, making her own unique design. And as I explained to Mrs. Hubbard's classes, we writers are always on the look-out for cool DETAILS to add to our stories. And wouldn't you know it ... the book I'm currently re-writing has a girl-artist for its protagonist. And guess what I'm giving her first thing tomorrow? Mika's agenda book -- grimacing skull and all! So hey, thanks Mika!

A student named Anthony told me he is an aspiring song writer. He told us that one of his friends advised him, "Just write. Don't think about the fact that you're writing a song." I think that's good advice -- especially for a first draft. Though I have never written a song, I suspect that re-writing plays an important role in the world of music too!

A special shout-out to Katherine for bringing me my book bag (and for your bright smile), and to Anthony for returning me to Mrs. Eva's classroom -- even though he wasn't sure where it was!

Good luck on exams, you guys! Thanks Mrs. Hubbard and Mrs. Eva for bringing me to your school. Thanks Mrs. Hubbard for the lily (that's what I'm holding in the picture below), and thanks Mrs. Eva for the fun door-to-door service.