2007 BORN TO READ Conference Highlights
Storyteller John Porcino traveled from Massachusetts to deliver the keynote address.
Participants from all over the state gathered to share information and inspiration.
Entertaining presenters and hands-on workshops inspired lots of laughter!
The third biennial “Early Literacy in a Changing World” conference took place on Saturday, May 5, 2007. Previous conferences have been held in Portland, but a new location—the University of Maine in Orono—drew close to 200 participants from all of Maine’s sixteen counties.
Storyteller John Porcino opened the program with an energetic keynote presentation about the challenges and rewards of working with young children. Workshops covering a wide array of early childhood topics were led by experienced, dynamic presenters. Allen Sockabasin closed the conference with a moving testimonial about the importance of language in preserving Passamaquoddy traditions and values.
The conference marked both the official launch of the newest Born to Read initiative, Peaceable Stories, and the tenth anniversary of the Born to Read program. It was made possible by support from Bangor Savings Bank and the Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust.
Here’s what people are saying about the conference:
- “It helped me remember what a strong influence we have on children. It was very inspirational.”
- “I understand more clearly that the work I’m doing has tremendous value in the lives of these children and in our society as a whole.”
- “A conference is almost always worth the time when you walk away with a new idea without feeling overwhelmed or inadequate. This conference did just that.”
- “One of the best conferences I have been to in quite some time.”
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