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Over the course of nine weeks in the fall of 2012, the sixth-grade “Rocket Writers” of the new Gordon Science & Arts Academy met for a workshop with Nat Akin, our director of outreach & education, to compose creative work for the first book-length project of our new after-school arts program, story booth.Tales of Modern Rocketry is the collection of science fiction stories dreamed up by these young writers, each accompanied by an original illustration from artist Derrick Dent, and introduced with a foreword by former NASA astronaut Dr. Rhea Seddon, one of the first women selected for the Space Shuttle program.

On Thursday, February 7, Crosstown Arts celebrated this book release at a launch party with the families, friends, and faculty of Gordon Science & Arts Academy in our new performance and exhibition space at 430 N. Cleveland. After mingling over music and food, the writers read excerpts from their stories to public applause. Then the book was officially unveiled to the student writers and the gathered audience, and the young writers were on hand to sign copies of the book.

This book and event serve as the first public “picture” of the kind of collaborative, creative work story booth intends to do with middle- and high-school students in the greater Crosstown community. If you’re a young person who might be interested in participating in our programs, or an adult interested in volunteering to help with projects like this, there’s more information here.

Thursday, February 7, 5 to 6:30 pm
430 N. Cleveland

Music by DJ Siphne Sylve at 5 pm; Student readings at 5:30 pm; Book signing at 6 pm

See examples of artist Derrick Dent’s work at www.derrickdent.com.

Learn more about Gordon Science & Arts Academy at www.gestaltcs.org/gordonscienceandartsacademy.