The Young Voices Classroom Program
Where Students Become Published Authors
A 5-week creative writing and publishing experience for Grade 5 classrooms in Calgary and surrounding communities, guiding students from their first story idea to becoming published authors.
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​In Person | Grade 5 | 5 Weeks | Published Class Book
Welcome To The Young Voices Classroom Program
Every great writer starts with a blank page.
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The Young Voices Classroom Program brings creative writing directly into Grade5 classrooms, allowing students to explore their imagination, strengthen their storytelling skills, and discover the value of their own voice.
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Over five weeks, students move through the writing process from idea development and first draft to revision and publication. With guided lessons, hands-on activities, and personalized feedback, each student creates an original short story that becomes part of a professionally published class book.
Is This Program Right For Your Classroom?
The Young Voices Classroom Program is designed for Grade 5 classrooms where students are ready to:
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Explore storytelling and creative writing in a new way.
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Develop stronger writing and revision skills.
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Build confidence in sharing their ideas and voices.
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Create characters, settings, and original stories.
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Experience the complete writing process from idea to final draft.
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Become published authors in their own class book.
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No previous creative writing experience is required. Every student has a story worth telling.
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What They'll Experience
Throughout the five-week program, students will:
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Develop an original story idea and learn how to bring it to life.​
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Create memorable characters, settings, and storylines.
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Learn how to structure a complete short story.
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Move through drafting, feedback, and revision.
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Strengthen their writing skills and creative confidence.
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Learn that revision is an important part of being an author.
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Prepare their finished story for professional publication.
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See their name and work published in their class book.
Become A Published Young Author
One of the most exciting parts of The Young Voices Classroom Program is seeing students become published authors.
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Each student will contribute their original short story to a professionally published class book. After the program, every participating student and their teacher will receive a printed copy to keep. A lasting celebration of their creativity, hard work, and accomplishment.
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It's more than a book. It's proof that their words matter.
Meet Your Classroom Facilitator
My name is Samantha Laycock
Samantha Laycock is an author, publisher, and the founder of My Life of Words and Oak & Ink Publishing. Her own writing journey began at the age of 10, when a teacher introduced her to creative writing and helped her discover the joy of putting words onto paper.
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That early experience stayed with her and shaped the work she does today. Through her writing and publishing work, Samantha helps others recognize the power of their stories and feel more confident using their voices.
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She has also created writing resources to encourage creativity, self-expression, and confidence. Samantha believes every young writer deserves a space where their ideas are welcomed, their imagination is celebrated, and their words are taken seriously.
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Through the Young Voices Classroom Program, Samantha brings her experience as an author, publisher, and writing mentor directly into the classroom. She guides students through the creative writing process in an encouraging environment where ideas are welcomed, imagination is celebrated, and every student has the opportunity to become a published author.
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Her goal is to help students discover that their voice matters and that they already have stories worth sharing.
Program
Details
Grade: 5
Format: In-person, in-classroom
Duration: Five weekly sessions
Session Length: 60 minutes - 90 minutes
Location: Calgary & surrounding communities
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Each classroom receives:
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Four instructional sessions + 1 publishing celebration
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My Author Journey student workbooks
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Story development activities and resources
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Personalized feedback and revision support
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Professional formatting and publication of the class book
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One published book for each participating student
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One published book for the classroom teacher
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Certificates recognizing students as published authors
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Option for families to purchase additional copies
Why The Young Voices Club?
Writing becomes more meaningful when students have a real audience and a reason to share their work.
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The Young Voices Classroom Program takes students beyond a traditional writing assignment by guiding them through the same journey an author experiences. From developing an idea and writing a first draft, revising their work, and preparing it for publication.
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Students strengthen their storytelling, communication, creativity, and revision skills while working toward something tangible: seeing their own words professionally published in a book.
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Most importantly, the program creates space for every student, not only confident writers, to discover that their ideas have value and their voice deserves to be heard.
Ready to Bring Young Voices To Your School?
Allow your students to explore the power of storytelling, strengthen their writing skills, build creative confidence, and experience what it feels like to become a published author.
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Bring the Young Voices Classroom Program to your Grade5 classroom, or download the Principal Package to learn more about the program, what's included, and how it works.