Operation Literacy presents
A conference track just for you with up to
5 SUU graduate credits at your fingertips!
EDUCATOR TICKET DETAILS
$159
We at StoryCon can’t do what we do without the support of educators. When you choose to become a part of this event, we want to pamper and spoil you and your students! You are rock stars in our eyes! This is why we’ve created the ALL NEW Educator ticket just for teachers and librarians.
INCLUDED WITH THE EDUCATOR TICKET:
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Two days of classes geared specifically toward teachers and taught by internationally best-selling authors PLUS the option to attend classes with your tween or teen students
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Up to 5 hours of graduate credit from SUU
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Author and educator networking opportunities
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Optional author meet-and-greet breakfast (with book giveaways)
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Vendor hall and presenter signing access
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Free webinars from bestselling authors to share with students year-round
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Students returning to your schools as joyful literacy advocates
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A year’s classroom subscription to the TABC Vault (hundreds of hours of educational author presentations with common-core aligned lesson plans)
BONUS OPTIONS:
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Educator Breakfast
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Masterclass add-ons
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Agent/Editor pitch sessions
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Operation Literacy Awards Gala
GET YOUR PASS FOR FREE IF YOU BRING A SCHOOL GROUP!
EDUCATOR PROGRAM
Educators hold the keys to the kingdom at StoryCon!
With dedicated classes for teachers and librarians, special "Book Talk" sessions with your favorite authors, PLUS full access to all Main Stage events, you're basically royalty at this event.
FRIDAY EDUCATOR SCHEDULE
9 AM - StoryCon Kick Off and Neal Shusterman Keynote
10 AM - Breakout #1
11 AM - Breakout #2
12 PM - Brandon Mull Keynote
1 PM - Breakout #3
2 PM - Breakout #4
3 PM - Breakout #5
4 PM - Marissa Meyer Keynote
6:30 PM - VIP Reception & Gala (this is an optional ticket add-on)
SATURDAY EDUCATOR SCHEDULE
7:30 AM- Educator Breakfast (optional ticket add-on)
9 AM - Dhonielle Clayton Keynote
10 AM - Breakout #6
11 AM - Breakout #7
12 PM - Shannon Hale Keynote
1 PM - Breakout #8
2 PM - Breakout #9
3 PM - Laini Taylor Keynote
4 PM - Breakout #10
5 PM - Breakout #11
6 PM- Closing & Jeff Kinney Keynote
MAIN STAGE
The StoryCon main stage is packed with some of the most popular storytelling celebrities and organizations in the business!
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EDUCATOR
BREAKOUT CLASSES
BREAKOUT #1
Friday 10:00 am-10:50 am
Writing with the Body in Mind
Naomi Watkins
“The call to write is a call that’s received in the body first. If we are to answer this call, we have to feel every part of our lives.” – John Lee
Traditionally, writing has been taught in American schools as a way to capture and share ideas, as a transfer of thoughts to paper. Writing is presented as happening solely in our minds. However, as John Lee points out, creative acts, such as writing, start with our bodies first. We feel an impulse to create beauty, to process emotions, or to reveal thinking about a problem. Ignoring the body in the writing process causes students to think that writing is a miraculous act that’s reserved only for the “real” writers. Yet, writing can be a useful tool for students in their professional and personal lives. Teaching students how to pay attention to the body while writing enables them to embody all their senses and use this tool to overcome fears and frustrations, self-imposed standards, and creative blocks in the classroom and beyond.
In this workshop, participants will be invited to explore their writing processes with the body in mind through guided imagery, movement, breathing exercises, partner sharing, and reflection. Then, participants will be provided with practical exercises and activities that they can use with students during the writing process. These suggestions will be embedded within a trauma-informed framework to ensure that participants and their students engage with their minds and bodies in safe, culturally-affirming ways.
Room 254 A-C
BREAKOUT #2
Friday 11:00 am-11:50 am
Utilizing Retellings to Spark Interest in the Classics
Sara B Larson
We’ll talk about how using modern retellings of classic stories (such as my upcoming novel that is a fantasy reimagining of Count of a Monte Cristo and many other examples) can be used to help spark student’s interest in the original stories, fostering excitement for classic literature in the rising generation.
Room 254 A-C
BREAKOUT #3
Friday 1:00 pm-1:50 pm
Let Them Eat Books
Shannon Hale
New York Times bestselling author Shannon Hale, the author of more than 40 books including picture books, graphic novels, teen fantasy, and adult romcoms, will discuss the impact of the recent trend in book banning on her writing career and the value of stories.
Room 254 A-C
BREAKOUT #4
Friday 2:00 pm-2:50 pm
Comics Tell Stories
Jess Smart Smiley
Writing for comics requires a specific use of writing skills, including: formatting, handling descriptions and pacing, writing pictures that don’t yet exist, and more. Join bestselling comics creator Jess Smart Smiley for a deep-dive into the unique ways that comics tell stories and how to write for the comics medium, regardless of skill level or experience.
Room 254 A-C
BREAKOUT #5
Friday 3:00 pm-3:50 pm
Historical Fiction: A Method to Meaning
Emily Inouye Huey
In this lecture, author Emily Inouye Huey presents her family's experience as prisoners in a WWII Japanese American incarceration center. She explores how this history informs her writing and showcases ways that educators, parents, and students can utilize historical fiction to approach discussing hard things in appropriate ways.
Room 254 A-C
BREAKOUT #6
Saturday 10:00 am-10:50 am
Writing with Deep Point of View
Kathryn Purdie
Stories written in deep point of view are powerful and immersive. Readers forget they are reading and instead live vicariously through the POV character(s), entrenched in their worldview and unique traits, without any telltale author tags and filter words standing in their way. In this class you’ll learn tips and tricks to transform writing from distant to deep and then deeper which will give your scenes the emotional punch and character connection necessary for a gripping and unforgettable story. This class includes exercises you can use with students that can be further developed into a unit discussing POV.
Room 254 A-C
Writing Exercises for Your Students
Libba Bray, Bree Despain, Yamile Saied Mendez, Aubrey Hartman, Tiffany Rosenhan
Get a new take on writing exercises from published authors
Room 255 B
BREAKOUT #7
Saturday 11:00 am-11:50 am
Page-Turners for Every Age: the Best Books of 2024-2025
Robin King
Join us for an engaging and informative session that dives into the best books of 2024-2025 for middle grade, young adult, and picture book readers. Whether you're a parent, teacher, librarian, or just want to discover your next favorite read, discover a carefully curated list of 75 must-read titles that will captivate and inspire. From the newest middle-grade adventures to high school page-turners and picture books with heart, this class will provide a comprehensive guide to the stories no one will want to put down. Walk away with fresh recommendations to spark a love for reading in every age group.
Room 254 A-C
Neurodiversity and Mental Health
Julie Wright, Heather Clark, Erin Stewart, Charlie N. Holmberg
Join panelists in a conversation about writing about neurodiversity and mental health.
Room 255 B
BREAKOUT #8
Saturday 1:00 pm-1:50 pm
Balancing Act: How to Write in Beautiful Detail-without Bogging Everything Down
Elaine Vickers
As authors, we’re continually trying to give enough detail to lend depth and richness to our writing—while also reminding ourselves to trim and keep it tight. But these two ideas don’t necessarily have to be in conflict. Using everything from picture books to adult works, we’ll explore how the right details can perfectly illustrate a scene, illuminate a character, and propel the story forward instead of slowing it down.
Room 254 A-C
Building the Bridge to Better Creative Writing
Tiffany Rosenhan
Understanding the distinction between writing and storytelling is fundamental to teaching effective creative writing.This Creative Writing Mini Masterclass is designed to give educators some processes to incorporate, and tools to share with students on how story-tell effectively, reduce writer's block, and develop the confidence to share their stories!
Room 255 D
BREAKOUT #9
Saturday 2:00 pm-2:50 pm
TABC Classroom & Publishing Opportunities for Students
Operation Literacy's Sarah Noël Lipman and Owl Hollow Press founder, Emma Nelson
Enhance your students' writing skills with our comprehensive session that provides practical strategies and tools. As an educator, you now have complimentary access to TABC Classroom, a rich resource featuring extensive videos and lesson plans designed to elevate writing proficiencies. This session will guide you in effectively integrating these resources into your classroom. Additionally, explore numerous publication opportunities available to your students, empowering them to share their work. Join us to unlock these valuable educational assets and inspire your students to become accomplished writers.
Room 254 A-C
Author Visits Panel: How to Successfully Host
Frank Cole, J Scott Savage, Jennifer Savage, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Kaela Rivera
Panelists discuss what makes a successful school visit from the eyes of an author.
Room 255 B
Adding Impact to Prose: Teaching Rhetorical Tropes and Figures
Rosalyn Eves
This course walks educators through common rhetorical tropes and figures, looking at examples from fiction and non-fiction to show how these elements add power to prose writing.
Room 255 C
BREAKOUT #10
Saturday 4:00 pm-4:50 pm
How Playwriting Teaches Narrative
Katie Jarvis Shomler
As we learn more about different education needs for kid's with learning differences, very interesting research has shown there is lots to be gained from incorporating arts into traditional learning. One of the best parts of playwritng is hearing other's bring your work to life. This has motivated many children who were not interested in writing, or literature before. When you hear someone giving your ogre the right oomph, or your superhero an awesome yell, it makes things concrete. It allows kids to see the fruits of their creative efforts and leads to many great literary opportunities.
Room 254 A-C
Coming of Age: How Literature Helps Our Kids Grow Up
Jennifer A. Nielsen, Erin Stewart, Kasie West, Neal Shusterman
Panelists discuss the impact literature has on a child's informative years.
Room 255 B
BREAKOUT #11
Saturday 5:00 pm-5:50 pm
Setting in SciFi: How to Build Worlds in Dystopian Societies
Margaret Peterson Haddix
What makes a society dystopian? In the real world, we want to know the answer to that question to avoid creating dystopias. But for educators whose students love to read or write dystopian fiction, the question hits differently. This session deals with various ways educators can help students improve their dystopian world-building while writing; gain more insights into dystopias while reading—and hopefully see how they can spot dystopian impulses in real life.
Room 254 A-C
Lightbox Presentation
Lightbox
If you wonder how to help your students engage with non-fiction text, join us at the Lightbox session. Educational expert Terri Harkey will show you the power that Lightbox materials have in the classroom. She will give you hands-on lesson plans and strategies to help students love non-fiction. Take lessons and strategies right back to your class on Monday!
Note: A SUU Graduate Course worth 1 credit is being offered. If you haven’t already signed up for the graduate course, you can sign up at this breakout session. This breakout session will count as one of the hours of course time and you will get a jumpstart on ideas for the content.
Room 255 D
ADD-ON EXPERIENCES
EDUCATOR BREAKFAST
Saturday, Feb 22nd
Come for a delicious hot breakfast enjoy the opportunity to network, catch an amazing speaker, and then prepare to meet a host of national, bestselling authors as they speed date with every table.
It can't get much better than that, can it?
Well, actually, yes, it can. Because not only can you earn one additional SUU graduate credit for attending the breakfast, you'll also get to leave with a signed copy from every author present at the breakfast. See the full list of attending authors and prepare for a great time!
Space is very limited so grab your spot fast!
ATTEND THE AWARDS GALA
The Operation Literacy Awards Gala includes a VIP reception, a semi-formal dinner, a silent auction featuring products from generous local businesses, and a program held in conjunction with StoryCon at the Salt Palace on February 21, 2025. This year's theme is Once Upon a Time.
The evening program includes:
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Teen Readers' Choice Awards: The only national book award for professional authors decided by teens!
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Book Hero Awards: Recognizing individuals, educators, and organizations in our community who are making strides to elevate children's literacy.
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Recognition of the teens published in Operation Literacy's annual Short Story Anthology and Poetry Collection. Both bodies of work are published in partnership with Owl Hollow Press.
I can get graduate credits for attending StoryCon?
When you register for this conference, you will have the option to earn one SUU graduate credit by attending and reflecting on the presentations from the conference.
Four additional 1 credit options are available.
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One credit is available for participating in and creating materials for the Educator Breakfast.
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In addition, Educator Book Clubs will be held after StoryCon. As an educator who registers for StoryCon, you can earn graduate credit by registering for each Book Club and completing the assignments. Each Book Club offers 1 graduate credit.
You will be responsible for registration and the $23/credit fee. A representative from SUU will be at the conference to assist you with credit registration and to answer any questions you have.
Resources and Opportunities for
Teachers and Librarians
PLAN YOUR EPIC WEEKEND
You have your tickets, you've snagged your add-on experiences, now you're ready to plan for an epic StoryCon weekend!
