Melinda Long
F O R
BRENNAN SPARK
COURTESY DAVID SHANNON
COURTESY MELINDA LONG
MARCHETT BUTLER
Karen White
David Shannon
T H E
L O V E
Kara Joseph
O F
READING Despite canceling events due to Covid this year, the Amelia Island Book Festival will continue with its signature Authors In Schools program and other special events this year. BY DICKIE ANDERSON
O
nce again this year, the Amelia Island Book Festival has had to adjust its schedule and cancel two February events. The traditional gala scheduled for February 18 and the Author Expo & Readers’ Extravaganza scheduled for February 19 were canceled due to Covid concerns. Lots of other events on the schedule for the remainder of the year remain in place. Now in its twentieth year, the Amelia Island Book Festival offers a variety of events and opportunities for readers of all ages. Although the Gala and Expo had to be canceled, the very heart of the festival, the Authors In Schools program, will take place Friday, February 18. The Authors in Schools program not only puts a book in the hand of every student in Nassau County, it also places authors in classrooms to engage students and encourage reading and writing. Authors include New York Times bestselling authors and award-winning authors that target younger audiences. Each year, authors are in front of 13,000 students at Nassau County public schools, five volunteer pre-kindergarten 45 AMELIA ISLANDER MAGAZINE •
programs, and various private schools. Through sponsors, donors, and ticket sales, the festival strives to give a book to every student. To further encourage students, the Amelia Island Book Festival sponsors Scholarship & Short Story Writing contests for all Nassau County middle and high school students to win creative writing awards, scholarships, and an opportunity to be published. This year’s contest challenges Nassau County students to write a Rudyard Kipling-style “Just So Story.” Stories will be published, with cash awards presented to the winning students. The 2022 Scholarship contest offers two $5,000 scholarships. Nassau County high school seniors who are citizens of the United States, in good academic standing, and planning to attend college or university in Fall 2022, are eligible. Students are asked to create a 1,000 – 1,200-word essay and submit it by March 1. This year’s theme is, “What continued on next page
FEBRUARY 2022
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