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Welcome to the AWCS (Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society) Reality Is Optional Kids’ Writing Club home page!
Affectionately known as RIO
Need a place that understands you? Come and join the RIO. Create a writing club the way you want it. Youth led, adult mentored. Guest speakers, writing games, friends and creativity. Ages seventeen and under. Play with your words — all you need is a notebook and pen.
Meetings are held the second and last Monday of every month from September to June at the Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society in beautiful Calgary, Alberta – from 5:30 pm-6:30 pm in the AWCS classroom.
Fees: Drop In: $5. Full Year $40.00 (basically an AWCS youth membership with all the benefits!)
RIO is directed by Kim Firmston, a real life cyborg – though one without any cool powers. When she is not writing or cursing obvious villain mistakes, she warps young minds in her Reality is Optional Kid’s Writing Club, at WordsWorth Kids’ Writing Camp and through the Alexandra Kids’ Theatre Camp. Kim’s short story, Life Before War, was short listed in the 2008 CBC Literary Award and published in FreeFall Magazine. Another short story, Returning Home, was published in the Alexandra Reader Anthology. Her children’s plays include The Block, Rock n’ Roll Trolls, Polar Power Quest, and The Siren’s Song – Curse of the Amulet (performed to a near sold out crowd at the 2011 Calgary Fringe Festival. Her first YA novel, Schizo, came out September 2011 by Lorimer SideStreets and her second, Hook Up, will be out in March 2012. Check out her website at www.kimfirmston.com
Next meeting is:
April 30: Mary-Jean Uszy will be our special song writing guest. We are going to create a RIO theme song. So cool!
May 14: Balderdash - a game about lying. Get ready to fool your friends.
*We might also be working on our Theme Song in May too, so be flexible.
May 28: Dungeons and Dragons. Bash trolls and fire breathing beetles.
June 2: RIO is at Bridgeland community centre for the soccer wrap up and community party - anyone want to help man the booth with me?
June 11: Lelaina's birthday party meeting and a guest speaker of some sort. Not sure who yet. It might be Dare Devil himself.
June 25: RIO year end BBQ and party. Roast weiners, get awards, and play D&D all in Kim's back yard. 1424 - 10 Ave SE from 5:30-8:00.
Sleep over? We might do a sleep over some time in June or early July depending on who is interested. We will talk about this more at the next meeting. Let me know what date would work for you.
July 30 - Aug 4 Dramantics camp - RIOites get a special rate. See camps for registration information.
August 7-10 RIO camp, week one. 4 days of fun. See camps for registration information.
August 27-31 RIO camp, week two. 5 days of madness. See camps for registration information.
September 10: First RIO meeting of our third year.
Two meetings a month. Yes - it's twice the RIO fun! Meetings will happen on the second and last monday's of every month (except when they don't) from 5:30 - 6:30. Bring a notebook, pen and *if you like, something that you have written. Snacks to share are welcome too.
Where are we?
922 9 Avenue Southeast
Calgary, AB T2G 0S4
Ph: 403-237-6837
*From the parking lot, go down the outside steps to the lower level. We are in the first classroom.
Need a place that understands you? Come and join the RIO. Create a writing club the way you want it. Youth led, adult mentored. Guest speakers, writing games, friends and creativity. Ages seventeen and under. Play with your words — all you need is a notebook and pen.
Meetings are held the second and last Monday of every month from September to June at the Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society in beautiful Calgary, Alberta – from 5:30 pm-6:30 pm in the AWCS classroom.
Fees: Drop In: $5. Full Year $40.00 (basically an AWCS youth membership with all the benefits!)
RIO is directed by Kim Firmston, a real life cyborg – though one without any cool powers. When she is not writing or cursing obvious villain mistakes, she warps young minds in her Reality is Optional Kid’s Writing Club, at WordsWorth Kids’ Writing Camp and through the Alexandra Kids’ Theatre Camp. Kim’s short story, Life Before War, was short listed in the 2008 CBC Literary Award and published in FreeFall Magazine. Another short story, Returning Home, was published in the Alexandra Reader Anthology. Her children’s plays include The Block, Rock n’ Roll Trolls, Polar Power Quest, and The Siren’s Song – Curse of the Amulet (performed to a near sold out crowd at the 2011 Calgary Fringe Festival. Her first YA novel, Schizo, came out September 2011 by Lorimer SideStreets and her second, Hook Up, will be out in March 2012. Check out her website at www.kimfirmston.com
Next meeting is:
April 30: Mary-Jean Uszy will be our special song writing guest. We are going to create a RIO theme song. So cool!
May 14: Balderdash - a game about lying. Get ready to fool your friends.
*We might also be working on our Theme Song in May too, so be flexible.
May 28: Dungeons and Dragons. Bash trolls and fire breathing beetles.
June 2: RIO is at Bridgeland community centre for the soccer wrap up and community party - anyone want to help man the booth with me?
June 11: Lelaina's birthday party meeting and a guest speaker of some sort. Not sure who yet. It might be Dare Devil himself.
June 25: RIO year end BBQ and party. Roast weiners, get awards, and play D&D all in Kim's back yard. 1424 - 10 Ave SE from 5:30-8:00.
Sleep over? We might do a sleep over some time in June or early July depending on who is interested. We will talk about this more at the next meeting. Let me know what date would work for you.
July 30 - Aug 4 Dramantics camp - RIOites get a special rate. See camps for registration information.
August 7-10 RIO camp, week one. 4 days of fun. See camps for registration information.
August 27-31 RIO camp, week two. 5 days of madness. See camps for registration information.
September 10: First RIO meeting of our third year.
Two meetings a month. Yes - it's twice the RIO fun! Meetings will happen on the second and last monday's of every month (except when they don't) from 5:30 - 6:30. Bring a notebook, pen and *if you like, something that you have written. Snacks to share are welcome too.
Where are we?
922 9 Avenue Southeast
Calgary, AB T2G 0S4
Ph: 403-237-6837
*From the parking lot, go down the outside steps to the lower level. We are in the first classroom.
