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Scholar in Residence pursues his passion By JAMES TAYLOR Mineral Ridge High School Maestro Isaiah Jackson, director and conductor of the Youngstown Symphony, offers the simple advice that the pursuit of your passion will lead to success in life. Jackson was born in 1945 during WWII. His father, a doctor, was serving as a lieutenant in Hawaii but came back to witness his son’s birth. He has come from a family of doctors and considers himself the ‘‘black sheep’’ of the family. As a child, he had a love for music and the piano. He has a fear of blood and did not enjoy medicine as a passion. Jackson’s advice is to ‘‘follow your bliss.’’ He wanted to become more involved in classical music but was unable to enter that field because of discrimination against African Americans in that time period. After attending Harvard and obtaining degrees in Russian history and literature, Jackson went on to Julliard School of Music and Stanford, returning to Harvard for a doctorate. He has held positions at orchestras in six continents since then. He believes that he has had a privileged life and is euphoric about his breakthrough into classical music. ‘‘I have eaten the fruit of trees I never planted,’’ said Jackson, meaning that he has not been the single reason for discrimination’s end. He says the most important cause of his success is being unable to take offense from racism and following his dream. His greatest inspiration in music as a child was African American singer Marion Anderson’s performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. He has performed for the Royal Ballet in front of Queen Elizabeth II and the late Princess Diana in London. He said he was too excited to be nervous. He is now a Scholar in Residence at YSU and lives in Cambridge with his wife, Helen, and children, Ben, Katherine and Caroline. Jackson says he has been blessed to live a wonderful life pursuing his passion. Back to Top
Author participates in English Festival workshop By PATRICK KRIEGER Ursuline High School ‘‘During my childhood, I would move every two to three years. It was hard always being the new kid in town and at school, but what got me through it was my love of reading and my love of outdoor sports. I believe that the library is the treasure house of the human imagination.’’ On April 7, author Will Hobbs visited YSU’s 28th annual English Festival, where he participated in the Tribune Chronicle’s journalism workshop. This year two out of the seven books that thousands of students, grades seven to nine, read were authored by Hobbs. In "Far North" and "Jackie’s Wild Seattle," Hobbs shares a common theme, the awareness of nature. Hobbs says he spends about 30 days out of the year rafting on many of America’s rivers. His love of nature and the outdoors is reflected in every book that he writes, but he believes that another theme resonates deep beneath the outdoorsy facade, survival. In both "Far North" and "Jackie’s Wild Seattle," Hobbs writes about the survival of a culture, the survival of a people, and the survival of people to stay true to themselves. Hobbs says that his love of reading was a seed planted deep in his past which has blossomed as he has grown. ‘‘I started to love reading when I was in fourth grade when we read the book ‘Courage’ during class. I found it amazing how an author could inspire so many thoughts and feelings inside of me.’’ Hobbs’ love of writing, however, came in high school, when his teacher Martin McMurty became a published author. ‘‘It felt amazing to be in the presence of a published author, and this feeling encouraged me to be a writer. It took eight years to publish my first book, but if you work at your goals you can get anything accomplished. I had persistence.’’ ‘‘My mother was a great inspiration to me. She rafted down the Grand Canyon at 73 years old.’’ Hobbs has many people who he emulates, people that he feels changed the face of the planet. ‘‘I remember my childhood hero was J.F.K. I saw him the day before he died, when I lived in San Antonio, Texas. My brother and I waited for the motorcade to come by, and we timed a wave perfectly. I remember him looking at us and smiling with his arm extended. He was an inspiration to young people and he changed the chemistry of the nation. As for Hobbs’ other hero, ‘‘Martin Luther King. I would give anything to go back to the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.’’ Hobbs continues to write and has just published a book called "Crossing the Wire." He feels so emotionally involved in his new piece of literature because it took him years to research it. ‘‘This book was not based on one of my many adventures; it is about an illegal immigrant trying to make money for his family.’’ Hobbs also spoke to each group of students at the festival and shared pictures of his adventures. He also shared with them his philosophy on writing. ‘‘About half of my ideas come from my own life experiences, and the other half come from reading…Learning to write well takes practice and dedication … In the world of the story, both the writer and reader are imagining what it’s like to be someone else, so you want to let your characters hear, taste, touch, and smell what your characters are experiencing.’' Back to Top
Tribune Chronicle hosts journalism workshop Page One The Tribune Chronicle Journalism Workshop, held during the annual Youngstown State University English Festival, took place April 5-7 in the campus’ Maag Library. During the workshop, local print media professionals and college students provided a crash course in journalism for area high school and middle school students. The students then participate in a news conference with the English Festival’s guest lecturers. The students write stories in a deadline situation. The stories are based on information obtained during the news conferences and knowledge gained from the workshops. The students who write winning stories (listed below) win cash and merchandise. All the first-place stories are published in today’s Page One. Many other workshops and contests were held during the English Festival. More than 200 prize winners were selected during the three days, and $15,000 in books, Festival T-shirts, gift certificates, savings bonds and cash was given away. A complete list of winners will be published in Saturday’s Tribune Chronicle.
Journalism Workshop Wednesday winners First Place: Mike Smylie, Howland; James Taylor, Mineral Ridge Second Place: Matt Liptak, Boardman; Jessica Barvitski, Boardman Third Place: Jeanine Awad, Cardinal Mooney; Bethany Meskel, Wilmington Honorable Mention: Emily Woods, Linesville; Rabab Al Sharif, Chaney; Valerie Lattin, Badger
Thursday winners First Prize: Karen Siege, Reynolds; Christa Serluco, Boardman Second Prize: Maria Timonino, East Palestine; Chloe Zocolo, Boardman Center Third Prize: Tanna Evans, Hubbard; Kara Lynn Guyer, Volney Rogers Honorable Mention: Jessica Burtner, Campbell Memorial; Cristen Manion, Hayes; Annie Moroco, Hermitage; Bonnie Taylor, Wilmington; Paige Kleinfelder, St. Patrick’s; Katie Anderson, Mathews; Alyssa Zimmer, St. Mary’s; Morgan Hartman, Rocky Grove; Derek Dunn, McDonald
Friday winners First Prize: Derrick A. High, Youngstown Early College; Patrick Krieger, Ursuline Second Prize: Rachel Warren, Montessori School of the Mahoning Valley; Marie Adams, St. Rose Third Prize: Rose Driscoll, St. Charles; Natalie Degenara, Poland Honorable Mention: Lisa Arthur, Greenville; Catie Camey, Poland; Alexa Koutsourais, Holy Family; Kelsey Flowers, Joseph Badger; Kent Dunre, Willow Creek Learning Center
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By CHRISTA SERLUCO Boardman High School He sits in his ‘‘writing nest’’ and looks out over the mountains topped with snow and the herd of elk right below. He stares at his monitor and comes up blank. Writer’s block, he thinks. He picks up the green wind-up toy, lets it walk, and makes a deal with himself that he must start writing before the toy stops. This man is author Will Hobbs, special guest at this year’s YSU English Festival. Students in the Journalism Workshop in Magg Library on Thursday morning of April 6th got the chance to hear his thoughts and ask questions. ‘‘The best ideas come from your subconscious mind,’’ Hobbs said. He helped advise young writers to get out of a writing rut by letting your mind wander and the imagination take lead. For seven years, he tried to get his first book published, and when it was always sent back, he re-evaluated his technique. ‘‘I was telling instead of showing.’’ The method he uses today to ‘‘show’’ is by using the five senses. It captures the reader and lets them truly visualize, he said. ‘‘That’s when it becomes a movie in their imagination.’’ The day he describes as one of his most memorable in his career is the day he got word of his book’s acceptance for publication. ‘‘I levitated. It was what I had been working for for years.’’ Nine books later and he is still beaming. Two of his books, "Far North" and "Jackie’s Wild Seattle," were chosen for this year’s Festival. Both follow a theme of nature and his personal experiences in it. ‘‘I was pleased with the choices they made.’’ Will Hobbs is a real nature lover and this is evident in each book. He wants to take readers to places he’s experienced ä the places where he is inspired. ‘‘I want to take my readers down the river.’’ His latest work, "Crossing the Wire," was published on Tuesday. He has already jumped headfirst into his next novel as well. It involves the Black Hills of South Dakota, two boys and a meteorite from Mars. He also plans on taking his third Arctic trip this summer and will especially be researching the global warming effects. His motto, as well as the words of his character Johnny Raven in "Far North," are the words he would like to reach each of his readers. ‘‘And I say to you ä take care of the land, take care of yourself, take care of each other.’’ Back to Top
Cormier highlights history of festival By KAREN E. SIEGE Reynolds Junior/Senior High School One of the most ‘‘stunning’’ experiences Dr. Gary Salvner, co-originator of the YSU English Festival, has ever had was when Robert Cormier was the featured author in 1988. Cormier had a minor stumble outside on the curb and twisted his ankle. He was 10 minutes late, but when he walked in the Chestnut Room the auditorium erupted with applause, said Salvner. Moments like these and the kids’ love for reading and writing is what has kept this English professor working with the English Festival since it’s beginning in 1978. When it began with the death of Candace Gay, the daughter of a professor and a doctor here at YSU, he assisted them with the essay contest they wanted to hold. Salvner says that’s all the YSU English Festival was at first, an essay contest. Students from schools all over eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania attend the Festival on the YSU campus in early April annually. This year it was on the fifth, sixth and seventh. It is the only one of its kinds, says Salvner, where the kids get a chance to read and write and learn so much about literature. Salvner is also the executive secretary of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE. ALAN is interested in Young Adult Literature such as what is read for the YSU English Festival. The organization is made up of teachers, publishers, and authors alike. ALAN picks books and puts them on a list called ‘‘Bill’s Best Books.’’ These are books recommended to all young readers, even for reluctant readers. Dr. Salvner once led this group as president of ALAN. The people here at YSU put a lot of time and effort into making this day special for students. Salvner said he really enjoys the English Festival and just can’t seem to give it up, even if he wanted to. This professor and author of a few books himself read westerns and animal stories as a kid but has grown to appreciate a variety of books, especially some of the ones appearing on past English Festival book lists. Salvner said, ‘‘It is so exciting to be in the middle of questions and answers and young people.’’ The festival has happened for almost 30 years and let’s hope the interest expressed by young people in literature continues for many years to come. Back to Top
Howland High School It is not too often that high school students have the opportunity to interview an award-winning author. But just as it has done elsewhere in the fields of reading and writing, Youngstown State University’s English Festival provided students with the rare opportunity to conduct a mock press interview. As part of Wednesday’s festivities, selected students participated in the Journalism Workshop held in YSU’s Magg Library. The workshop commenced with a lecture on journalism. Students then posed questions to noted young adult novelist Will Hobbs. Hobbs, the prolific author of sixteen novels aimed at teenagers, was on hand as the Thomas and Carol Gay Memorial Lecturer. In continuation of a tradition, the lecturer was chosen among the authors of that year’s English Festival books, which must be read by all participants. Of the seven titles this year, Hobbs wrote two, "Far North" and "The Maze." Hobbs’s credits include seven Best Books for Young Adults awards from the American Library Association and several other honors. Interviewing Hobbs gave the students insight into the author’s writing habits and personal life. Hobbs began his professional career as a teacher in Durango, Colo., where he still resides. ‘‘I had a class library of 600 books, and I read all of those young adults novels, so it (writing for young adults) was a good fit for me,’’ Hobbs told the students. Hobbs also shared the ways in which his novels are shaped. ‘‘About half of my ideas come from reading and research, and the other half from personal experiences,’’ Hobbs said. Hobbs also said that his novels are not planned, but originate from his interests, giving "The Maze" as an example. Hobbs said that he liked learning about condors and then heard about the condor relocation programs. "The Maze" then came out of that. When asked about the realism in his books, Hobbs said that he liked to write real-life novels because ‘‘it really increases the verisimilitude and authenticity of the novel.’’ In fact, Hobbs firmly believes in researching elements in even an admittedly fictional novel. ‘‘It’s about six weeks of reading (research) before I even begin to write a draft,’’ Hobbs said. Hobbs also remains a prolific author, writing almost one book per year. His newest novel, "Crossing the Wire," hit shelves only recently. Back to Top
Teaching wasn’t professor’s first choice By DERRICK A. HIGH II Youngstown Early College Imagine a 17-year-old boy. He washes dishes for 80 cents an hour in his aunt and uncle’s restaurant. Fast forward 40 or so years and that boy who washed dishes in his relatives’ restaurant has become a respected member of the English community. So goes the life of Gary Salvner. The college professor and part-time writer held a press conference at Youngstown State University’s Magg Library. The conference was for middle and high school students from the area; Salvner wanted to give them the feeling and experience of a real conference. The journalism workshop was just one of the many activities in this year’s annual Youngstown State University English Festival. Salvner has been a part of the English Festival since it was started in 1977. The summer before he came to YSU to teach, Thomas and Carol Gay lost their daughter. In memory of her, the two decided to have an essay contest. Salvner was one of the people brought in on the project. The committee in charge of the contest decided to have a day of events scheduled for those who participated and the English Festival was born. At the first Festival there were about 100 students in attendance; no one would have imagined that it would grow into what it is today with hundreds of students from the surrounding area coming to participate. Besides planning the English Festival each year, Salvner is a college professor. He is the head of the English department; however, he did not always want to be a teacher. When he was still young, Salvner wanted to be a lawyer. He had already applied and been accepted to a law school but at the last moment changed his mind. At the time, the Vietnam War was in full force, and he feared that he wouldn’t be able to stay in college lest he get drafted. Instead, he entered a program called the Teacher Corp. that provided teachers for areas that desperately needed them. He found out that he liked teaching and later went on to get a master’s in English from Michigan and became a college professor. Salvner has received many awards in his line of work. He has received awards for his writing and also five teacher of the year awards in Ohio. Just goes to show you what a 17-year-old dishwasher can accomplish. Back to Top
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