Students learn to tell their own stories from visiting author

Author Natalie Kinsey-Warnock visited Southgate Elementary School on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Kinsey-Warnock is a well-known children’s author for such books as “From Dawn Till Dusk,” “A Christmas Like Helen’s” and “A Farm of Her Own.” In large-group morning presentations, students listened as she talked about family and her life growing up on a farm in Vermont. Kinsey-Warnock’s focus is to show how many of the books that she wrote are based on true-life family stories. In the afternoon, fourth graders experienced small-group writing workshops, where the visiting author went around to each student, helping them to uncover their own family stories. This visiting author event was sponsored by the Southgate PTA. Special thanks to Sixth Grade Reading Teacher Ruth Rankin, Librarian Jan Parmalee, and Parent Volunteer Leeann Laven for coordinating this special event. Kinsey-Warnock will be presented to other Southgate students on Thursday, Oct. 5 in this two-day workshop.