Leatherstocking Conference
The Oneida/Herkimer School Library System hosted its 2019 Leatherstocking Conference and Technology Showcase on October 29 at the Holiday Inn in New Hartford.
The annual conference for school librarians, technology coordinators, classroom teachers, special area teachers, administrators and curriculum coordinators, included keynote speaker Ellen Oh and featured speaker London Ladd, as well as several guest presenters from local colleges, school districts and BOCES.
This year’s keynote speaker, Ellen Oh, is a former adjunct college instructor, lawyer and co-founder of We Need Diverse Books (WNDB), a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing diversity in children’s literature. She is the author of the middle-grade novel "The Spirit Hunters" Book 1 and 2, "Island of the Monsters," and the YA fantasy trilogy "Prophecy." Oh is the editor of WNDB’s middle-grade anthology "Flying Lessons and Other Stories," and the YA anthology "A Thousand Beginnings and Endings," out in June 2018.
Oh presented to conference attendees on the importance of short stories in creating better writers and how to empower children by teaching them about social activism.
This year’s featured speaker, London Ladd, has illustrated numerous critically-acclaimed children’s books including "March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World" (Scholastic), written by Christine King Farris, the older sister of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; "Frederick's Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass" (Disney/Jump at the Sun), written by Doreen Rappaport; and "Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School" (Lee & Low Books), written by Janet Halfmann.
Ladd presented to conference attendees on illustrative research, his journey to become an illustrator and the process of making a picture book.
Visit our Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES Facebook page to view a photo gallery!