The 41st Annual Youngstown State University English Festival welcomed the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth grade team from Hubbard Middle School and Hubbard High School and their advisor, Mr. Brian Luther, on Thursday, April 11th for a day of great books, great experiences, and great memories!
Since 1978, when the English Festival at YSU was founded by Professor Thomas Gay and his wife, Dr. Carol Gay to honor the memory of their daughter Candace, the English Festival has provided Hubbard students outstanding competitive writing opportunities based on their reading of popular current and classic young adult literature. This year's Festival featured guest authors Neal Schusterman, this year's Thomas and Carol Gay Lecturer, and Steve Sheinkin, 2019's James A. Houck Lecturer. Hubbard Seventh Grade student Jocelyn B. attended a journalism session featuring these authors.
Sessions attended by this year's team included "Insights", Limericks", "Prose Workshop", "Impromptu", "Writing Games", "Music From Literature", Writing Lab", "Not So Trivial Pursuit", and "Literature into Art". A wonderful pizza lunch was provided for the team by Mrs. Mary Mathews - Bebech, who also served as a monitor from Hubbard for this year's Festival. Hubbard's team members then attended lectures and autograph signings by this year's featured authors. The day's events concluded with the Festival's Awards Ceremony. It was here that Hubbard's "789" English Festival Team featured two students who placed in competitions for the day; Eighth grader Alison H. captured second place in the "I Love Limericks" category, while Eighth grader Layla M. was awarded second place honors for her work in "Not So Trivial Pursuit".
Hubbard's 2019 English Festival members were Seventh graders Jocelyn B., Phoebe R., and Ava S. Hubbard's attending Eighth graders included Emma F., Alison H., Layla M., and Sierra R., with Freshmen Kennedy E. and Madison L. rounding out the team. This year's Hubbard "789" edition had a great time and great success! Hubbard's returning members are already looking forward to the 2020 English Festival, which will be held next year on Thursday, April 23rd.
