Student Writers Share Range of Emotions at Annual Reception

WORCESTER – Student writers from throughout Central Massachusetts will share their works on Wednesday, May 10 during the 15th annual “Do the Write Thing Authors Reception” at Quinsigamond Community College.

The event is the culmination of work over the past year by students enrolled throughout the region in Adult Basic Education programs.  The reception enables students to share their written stories on a variety of life experiences, whether they are learning to read for the first time, mastering the English language as new residents of the United States, or working toward a high school equivalency diploma.  QCC is the location for the Central Regional Support Center of SABES (System for Adult Basic Education Support).

The 15th annual “Do the Write Thing Authors’ Reception” will take place on Wednesday, May 10 at Quinsigamond Community College’s Learning Center, Room 109 A&B.  Readings will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

In 1992, a first gathering of GED and English for Speakers of Other Languages
(ESOL) student writers were given an opportunity to publish their works in a collection and read their works at a reception.  A book containing works was published, and a tradition began.

Some of the works submitted this year share memories of childhood, while others focus on feelings about contemporary topics, such as the affects of 9/11 or the tsunami in Southeast Asia, or having a loved one serve in the war in Iraq.

“In all of these stories, you can feel the strength of these people, and their hopes to make a better life for themselves and for their families,” said Cathy Gannon, associate coordinator of the SABES program. The program enables students to develop writing and technology skills. More than 180 stories and poems were submitted this year. Students and instructors formed a panel to select 130 to be included in this year’s publication.

SABES, which is from the Spanish verb sabers, means to know, to be aware, to learn, to hear about, to be able to, to know how to. SABES was created by the Massachusetts Department of Education in response to the demand of the adult literacy community for staff and program development resources.  The adult basic education (ABE) field consists of a diverse array of organizations and programs providing high school equivalency (GED), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and general adult basic education services.