Shakespeare in South Dakota!

Did you hear?!

SHAKESPEARE IS COMING TO SOUTH DAKOTA!!!

That's how I picture your reaction, anyway. Shakespeare being, of course, the English teacher's Beatles...You squealed when you read that line up above, right?

Even if your squeal was more of an "Oooo!" or just a "hmmm" like the girl on the right, you may want to keep reading because this is pretty cool.

2016 marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. To celebrate, the Folger Shakespeare Library is sending out four of its 82 copies of Shakespeare's First Folio to tour the United States. For South Dakotans, that means 27 days of a copy on display at USD's National Music Museum and a plethora of Shakespearean events to commemorate the occasion. (This is starting to remind me of Sir Nicholas' deathday party in Harry Potter...)

The Folger traveling exhibit, First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare, includes an interactive display along with a copy of the the First Folio. USD's NMM will host the exhibit from March 7 - April 2, 2016. During that time, USD and the Vermillion community will also host Elizabethan/Shakespeare-related concerts, movies, lectures, and family events, most of which will be free to the public. Click here to see the full schedule of events.

Also, USD's Shakespeare Folio website provides some useful pieces for the classroom. First, it offers a brief history of the book and connects learners to more information via the Folger's website. Second, Darlene Farabee, Chair of the USD Department of English, speaks to students about Shakespeare and his book through three quick videos: "Shakespeare's Connection to Music," "What is the Shakespeare Folio," and "Why is Shakespeare Important?" (Scroll to the bottom of the website to locate the videos.)

Was I right? Pretty cool? Maybe I'm in the dark on this one, but this is the first Folio visit to SD of which I am aware, and I am hoping to catch a glimpse of this historical book. USD is just a wee bit closer than the Folger Shakespeare Library in D.C. Let me know if you want to carpool!

B&N "My Favorite Teacher" Contest

The Barnes and Noble "My Favorite Teacher" Contest is an opportunity for middle and high school students to give their favorite teacher a shout-out. Using a maximum of 500 words, students can choose to submit an original essay, poem, or thank-you letter.


Need a reason to entice your students to enter?

The national student winner will receive a $500 B&N gift card and a Nook.


Need a reason to encourage your students to enter? 

Five teachers will "win" on the regional levels, and each of them will receive a $500 B&N gift card. The national teacher winner will receive $5000 (!!!) and his/her school will receive $5000, as well.


Deadline: March 1, 2016

Let Your Imagination Fly - PTA Reflections 2015-2016

Oh, the Reflections contest! Having a mother who was extremely active in the PTA, the Reflections contest was on our yearly calendar. Perhaps my memory is incorrect, but I do not recall there being so many categories. I hope if dance had been a category back when I was in school that I would have taken that opportunity!

If your students are looking for a creative outlet that can earn them a little scholarship money, encourage them to think about entering this year's contest. Entries need to connect to the theme "Let Your Imagination Fly" and fall into one of the following six categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, or Visual Arts. 

The local Sioux Falls deadline is Saturday, December 5, which is less than a month away. Access the printable registration form here. As I learn more, I will update this post,

John T. Price at Augustana!

Are you a fan of David Sedaris or Annie Dillard? Maybe both? If so, you should make plans to hang out at Augustana's Kresge Recital Hall on Tuesday, September 29. Why? Because John T. Price will be there and, well, I can't say it any better than The Iowan:

“If David Sedaris and Annie Dillard had a literary love child and raised him in Iowa, he would write like this.” — The Iowan

Here's what you need to know:

John T. Price

Tuesday, Sept. 29

7:30 p.m.

Kresge Recital Hall

Tickets are available at the door. General admission is $5; children and Augustana students are free. (I wonder if I can still use my Augustana College ID?)

For more information, visit the ALA website or call the Mikkelsen Library at 605.274.4921.

Sorcerer's Apprentice Registration Posted

The Dakota Writing Project has posted the registration document for the annual student creative writing camp: The Sorcerer's Apprentice. The camp is March 27-28, but early bird registration is due March 16. Read more about the camp in this previous post or visit the DWP website.

2015 Optimist Oratorical Contest

The Sioux Falls branch of the Optimist Oratorical contest needs our help! The deadline for students to apply is next Monday, March 2nd, and the numbers are lacking. If you know of any student(s) who would consider giving a 4-5 minute speech in the hopes of earning scholarship money, please share the below contest flyer with them. (Currently, odds of winning are in their favor due to low numbers!)

2015 contest flyer and application information

Sorcerer's Apprentice Creative Writing Camp

The Dakota Writing Project's Sorcerer's Apprentice Creative Writing Camp is set for this spring! It typically takes place in the fall, but this year, it will be in March and expanded as the Dakota Writing Project pairs up with the Vermilion Literacy Project.

The camp itself is a one-day workshop for high school students with a genuine interest in writing and will take place on Saturday, March 28. This workshop is intended to bring "together high school writers with dedicated teacher-writer professionals...for a day of writing and collaboration that promises to be a magical apprenticeship." Throughout the day, students will have the opportunity to explore a variety of creative genres and partake in revision exercises. The day culminates with a chance to perform the day's work.

New this year is an expansion to include a few Friday events on March 27th. A 3-hour writing marathon will kick-off the day at 12:30, followed by a reading by USD faculty member and published author Natanya Pulley at 4 pm. The day will culminate with a poetry slam that evening.

If you have a student who may be interested, please encourage them to explore this writing opportunity. The camp website has not yet been updated, but eventually, more information will be available here, along with the registration form. In the past, student registration fees have included the workshop, a camp t-shirt, a copy of the Vermilion Literary Project magazine, lunch, and workshop refreshments. There are scholarships available for students with financial needs; please email dwp@usd.edu for more information.