Parkland College to host 2026 Voice/Craft celebration

Sponsored by Parkland College’s Division of Arts and Sciences, Voice/Craft is designed to nurture and celebrate the distinctive voices of District 505’s middle school students. All students who submit work to Voice/Craft receive personalized feedback and notes of appreciation from the editorial committee, who also choose representative original works to publish in book form.

"I thought this would be a great way to share students' ideas and writing with a larger population outside our classroom walls," said Ann Quackenbush, who teaches seventh grade language arts at Next Generation School. "They have such compelling and creative things to say. I allowed students to select which of their pieces from the school year they wanted to share. Nearly 3/4 of the 7th grade class chose to participate!"

This year marks Quackenbush’s first time participating in Voice/Craft.

"What I’m looking forward to most is reconnecting with students and watching them become part of an authentic writing community," Quackenbush said, "one that celebrates their voices, values their unique perspectives, and reminds them that their ideas matter. It’s important for our larger community to recognize that young people think deeply about the world, their place in it, and the power of their experiences and ideas. Participating will give community members an opportunity to share in that work while connecting with and supporting young authors."

Jennifer Myers, who teaches sixth, seventh, and eighth grade composition at East Prairie Middle School, encouraged her students to submit their favorite pieces or pieces that they felt were their strongest to Voice/Craft.

"I think it's important for young students' voices to be heard and for them to share their creativity and writing talents with others," Myers said. "Too often students see writing as boring and challenging and just required work, but I want students to know their voices matter and their words can impact others just by telling a story or writing a poem that others may relate to or find entertaining."

This year marks Myers’s first time participating in Voice/Craft too.

"This program is great as it shows our students, even as young writers, they can create something of their own and put it out into the world," Myers said. "I want to show them they matter; their stories, their ideas, their words matter. I’m most looking forward to my students being recognized for their hard work and their courage to share their writings with others. I’m extremely proud of all of the students who submitted to Voice/Craft."

This year’s Voice/Craft collection that includes works not selected for print publication is available at spark.parkland.edu/voicecraft. The writers and the works included in Voice/Craft demonstrate extraordinary creativity and insight, showcasing how District 505 students are benefiting from excellent writing instruction.

The event is open to the public from 6–8 p.m. in the college’s Black Box Theatre. Parkland College wishes to thank all participating students and teachers for helping make this collection possible.