ESD Welcomes Visiting Authors and Writer to the School Community
March 12, 2025
On February 27 and 28, The Episcopal School of Dallas welcomed two visiting authors and a visiting writer who provided valuable experiences to our lower, middle, and upper school students! From journalism practices to creative thinking with just a dot, our students learned so much over two days.
Both the Bill Cook Visiting Writers’ Program and the Elizabeth Anne Worsham Visiting Author Program make it possible to welcome new authors and writers to campus each year through their respective endowment funds (The Bill Cook Endowment Fund and The Elizabeth Anne Worsham Endowed Visiting Author Fund). These programs encourage a love for reading and writing in young students that hopefully carries over into adulthood. While each program offers a unique and fun experience, they simultaneously lay the foundation for each student’s future success.
This year, the lower school excitedly welcomed Peter H. and Paul A. Reynolds as participants in the Elizabeth Anne Worsham Visiting Author Program. Paul A. Reynolds is a children's book author who loves to team up with his twin brother, Peter H. Reynolds, the creator of beloved books like The Dot and Be You. Together, they’ve written engaging stories like Going Places and The STEAM-Powered Adventures of Sydney & Simon — books that spark creativity and confidence to “create bravely!”
“Creating bravely” manifested into physical stations at the lower school library. Students were encouraged to try new things, solve problems, contribute to group art, and much more. Reynolds even led the students through exercises that challenged them to reimagine simple shapes. Did you know the letter A can be turned into a wizard with a beard and a magic wand? All it takes is some creative thinking!
This year’s visiting writer for the Bill Cook Visiting Writers’ Program was Meredith Land, reporter and co-anchor for the NBC 5 News. Among Land’s many accomplishments and experiences, she has been awarded a National Gracie Award for her report about a groundbreaking treatment that stopped a young girl’s seizures, has been nominated for five Lone Star Emmy awards, and has won investigative reporting awards. She was also awarded a STAR award for producing and reporting a 30-minute special from Afghanistan.
Mrs. Land shared her journey through the world of journalism and how she fell in love with investigative writing. She encouraged our middle school students to start a a journal and to practice writing every day, which reinforces the purpose of the Bill Cook Visiting Writers’ Program to open the mind of each student to the wonder of words. Additionally, the program provides a platform to foster mindfulness, and Land shared a few ways for middle school students to incorporate mindfulness into their daily lives.
Although the Visiting Writers’ Program typically addresses middle school students, Land was able to address our upper school journalism class at a luncheon, answering questions they had about the field. She also encouraged the students to find a mentor and to pursue the practice. Her final piece of advice to the upper school journalist was that they are the future and to be confident in that!
These special guests were such an honor to host on campus, and we look forward to many more great authors and writers. For more information on our Visiting Author and Visiting Writers’ Programs, please visit the link below!
LEARN MORE ABOUT the VISITING AUTHOR AND VISITING WRITER PROGRAMS
