Hear Jaz’s story at fest
Concordia students write book
A GROUP of indigenous students from Concordia Lutheran College has written a book to be launched at the opening event of the Brisbane Writers’ Festival.
The 40 page book, Two Ways Strong: Jaz’s Story, has been published as a result of a three-day writing workshop conducted by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation earlier this year.
The workshop facilitators - author Claire Scobie, indigenous poet Kristine Ellis and Indigenous Literacy Foundation publishing consultant Kathy Mossop - conducted a series of activities with the 12 students including writing exercises, artwork, group planning and discussion and role playing exercises to create scenes and dialogue for the story.
Two Ways Strong: Jaz’s Story, is a fictional story about a girl who leaves her home in Palm Island to come to boarding school at Concordia Lutheran College.
Jaz is reluctant to leave her home and finds it difficult to settle in at first, but her mother wants her to have the opportunities that boarding school can offer.
Despite a few hiccups and problems along the way, Jaz soon learns to make the most of the opportunities presented and feels in the end that the experience has made her “two ways strong”.
The book’s title was inspired by the theme of a story written by Year 12 student Raikeisha Castors that won a Heywire award in 2016.
The project was facilitated by Concordia librarian and published author Jane Smith who presented a proposal to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, a not-for-profit charity whose mission is to help improve literacy in indigenous communities.
Two Ways Strong: Jaz’s Story will be launched by Dame Quentin Bryce, the foundation’s patron, at 10am on Wednesday at the State Library of Queensland.
This date is significant as it is also Indigenous Literacy Day.
Concordia’s students will be reading excerpts from the book and signing copies at the launch.