Pros, poetry and prose meet at La Cañada Elementary School

Literature came alive last week at La Cañada Elementary School, where students were treated to spirited theatrical renditions of short stories penned, or rather penciled, by some of their classmates in two assemblies held on campus.

Students prepped for Friday’s event nearly a month in advance, crafting pieces of prose and poetry that would be submitted for review by a cast of professional actors and writers with the Writer’s Room Productions, an Orange County nonprofit dedicated to stimulating young people’s interest in creative writing and the arts.

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The event was made possible by the school’s PTA, which funded Friday’s productions, according to Principal Emily Blaney.

“You’re going to see some of your writing come to life today,” Blaney addressed first- through third-graders in the second of two assemblies. The students gasped, realizing the plays they were about to enjoy would be based on their own writings.

From among LCE’s submissions, a group of performers showcased those that could most easily be adapted into an on-stage performance. Adding to the drama was the mystery about whose work would be picked — selected authors were not named until their pieces were introduced at the assembly.

Students enjoy short acts by Writer’s Room Productions’ that were written by students for the a school program showcasing student authors, at La Cañada Elementary School on March 4, 2016. Nine stories written by students from all grade levels were acted out during two assemblies for the school students.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

Among the day’s featured authors was second-grader Katie Lee, whose short story “I Found a Dinosaur in My Backyard” told the tale of a young girl who’s shocked to discover a brachiosaurus playing with her chalk and bubbles but soon makes peace with her new reality.

In first-grader Angel Song’s piece “A Snowy Winter Night,” a girl befriends a groundhog named Crystal, who’s looking for more exciting alternatives to hibernation. Fellow first-grader Joe Bell was picked for his story “What Do Snowmen Do at Night?” in which two ice people come to life at night and shop for LEGOs at Target.

Introducing each piece, the actors — including Writer’s Room founder Amber Robins — described creative elements that make for compelling storytelling, such as good use of the author’s imagination, a convincing first-person narrative and great dialogue.

What made third-grader Siena Babaian’s “The Creepy Haunted House” stand out was its sense of place. Set in New York City, the story features friends Siena and Riley, who get trapped in a house with the ghost of Abraham Lincoln and must search his study to find keys to escape.

After each play, student authors were called to the stage and given their original pieces, with a hand-written note of praise and a Writer’s Room stamp of approval. Accepting her paper, Babaian took a moment to acknowledge the little people.

“Thank you to the fans who nominated me, the author,” she began, also thanking her producers before high-fiving classmates on the way back to her spot on the cafeteria floor.

That’s exactly the mission of Writer’s Room, according to Robins.

“Our main goal is to ignite confidence and creativity in these kids,” she said.

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Sara Cardine, [email protected]

Twitter: @SaraCardine