The first Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Honors Program event of the 2024-25 school year featured a visit from author/edutainer Jason Edwards and gave students a chance to write and illustrate a story.
Honors Program Coordinator Deborah Schoff said students had an “exciting day” working with Edwards.
“They spent the day working on creative writing and using the skills of inspiration, character development, setting and plot to create their own stories,” Schoff said. “They enjoyed developing their illustrations with artistic tips and tricks from Jason.”
The “Creature Crafting 101!” event took place on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at the Herkimer BOCES Gateway Center with fourth grade students from Central Valley, Dolgeville, Herkimer, Little Falls, Owen D. Young, Poland and West Canada Valley.
“We heard some fantastic stories and saw some amazing illustrations from these young authors,” Schoff said.
Each school district that participated also received some of Edwards’ books to add to their school library.
The Herkimer BOCES Honors Program is open to students in Herkimer BOCES component school districts and is designed to support the potential of students in grades 3-12 who have above average interests and abilities in a particular area. Programs allow for interaction with like-minded peers. Students learn by engaging in educational activities with presenters who are noted in their field. Exploration and programs provide for different learning styles and include topics in the arts and sciences as well as literature and history. Ongoing evaluation of all programs by teachers and students assures their relevance and quality. 
