“Pathways assists students with their day-to-day needs; with the Protégé Project, we are supporting their dreams.”

Kingston, Ontario (November 25, 2016)

Last year, the Foundation granted $4,000.00 to Kingston WritersFest to implement a new program to engage local youth. We are pleased to share their update:

The pilot year of Kingston WritersFest’s Merilyn Simonds Protégé Project concluded in early October with readings at WritersFest by the first two protégés to be awarded mentorships in creative writing.

Thalia Danielson, a 2015-16 grade 12 student, and Megan Erb, a grade 10 student, were selected for a four-month term with professional local writers Lawrence Scanlan and Susan Olding. A number of new works by both aspiring young writers emerged, leading to public readings, radio interviews, publication on the WritersFest website, and for one protégé, a byline in an upcoming issue of Kingston Life.

WritersFest partnered with Pathways to Education to identify high school students who possess writing talent but whose circumstances might limit their artistic opportunities.
In the words of Pathways Coordinator Lauren Hartwick:

“Pathways assists students with their day-to-day needs; with the Protégé Project, we are supporting their dreams.”