OTTAWA, April 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Aviation and Space Museum will be buzzing with inspired and creative students from grades 4 to 7 starting tomorrow through Thursday, as the MASC Young Authors & Illustrators Festival kicks off another year. The annual event is sponsored by Eagle Professional Resources (Eagle), a Canada-wide professional staffing agency with headquarters based in Ottawa.
Now in its 28th year, festival organizers receive applications from hundreds of local youth with a special interest in creative writing and drawing. Approximately 500 students are selected to attend workshops on one day of the three-day event. Each attendee has the opportunity to attend two separate workshops with one of the presenting Canadian authors and illustrators where they can ask questions and pick-up tips from industry veterans. This year's slate of professionals includes Catherine Austen (Gatineau, QC), Cary Fagan (Toronto, ON), Karen Krossing (Toronto, ON), David A. Robertson (Winnipeg, MB), Soyeon Kim (Burlington, ON) and Britt Wilson (Toronto, ON).
Year-after-year, feedback from students is consistently positive. “This is the one day each year I feel like my creativity gets unleashed! Every single author and illustrator are so amazing, and each have their own style and story to share!” exclaimed one of last year's participants. “Thank you so much. I adore MASC. All the authors and illustrators are so supportive and give great tips. MASC has changed my life in a way I will never forget,” expressed another.
“Eagle has been such an enthusiastic and long-term supporter of MASC’s Young Authors & Illustrators Festival and we deeply appreciate their commitment to this event. It means that we are able to attract excellent authors and illustrators from across the country to deliver workshops and offer this opportunity to all students who express interest,” said Wendy Hartley, Co-Executive Director of MASC. “We consider ourselves very fortunate to have this support expressed in so many ways: financially as the Event sponsor, as well as through the ‘Eagle Notebook’ that puts a smile on each student’s face and the willingness of Eagle staff to volunteer on the planning committee as well as during the Festival itself.”
"I've had the honour of watching the Young Authors & Illustrators Festival evolve for many years and every year I look forward to attending the festival," said Lisa Murray, Director of Marketing at Eagle and long-time member of the festival committee. "It is an uplifting three days filled with incredible people and knowledge including the charismatic authors and illustrators, the energy-filled students and tireless volunteers."
Eagle has been the presenting sponsor of this educational event since 2001. Over the years, members of the staffing company's leadership team and staff have sat on the committee and have volunteered at the event to help it run smoothly. In addition to providing funding, Eagle also supplies all participants with specially designed notebooks to capture what they have learned and to keep as a memento.
About MASC
MASC, a registered charitable organization, delivers multicultural art programs in English and in French throughout eastern Ontario and western Quebec. Through its activities with more than 68 professional artists and subsidies to underfunded schools, last year MASC reached over 120,000 students in 350 schools from 19 school boards. For more information, visit our website at www.masconline.ca.
About Eagle
Founded in 1996, Eagle is one Canada’s largest and most successful professional staffing companies. A Canadian-owned company with ten (10) offices from coast-to-coast, Eagle specializes in sourcing technology, finance and accounting, and management consulting professionals for contract and full-time positions. Eagle has been named as one of the Best Workplaces in Canada every year since 2015 and is a platinum member of the Canada’s Best Managed Companies (every year since 1999). The company has been ISO 9001 certified since June 2006, is a very active advocate within the Canadian staffing industry association (ACSESS & NACCB) and supports many charities. To learn more about Eagle and its network of offices, please visit https://www.eagleonline.com or call toll-free 1-866-78-NESST(63778). Check out Eagle’s blog at https://www.eagleonline.com/blog and follow us on twitter @eaglestaffing.
Photo Opportunities
Time: 9:15 am to 9:45 am and 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm
Dates: April 9-11, 2019
Location: The Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, 11 Aviation Parkway, Ottawa, ON
MASC Media Contact
Wendy Hartley
Co-Executive Director, MASC
Phone: (613) 725-9119
Email: wendyhartley@masconline.ca
Eagle Media Contact
Dan Gasser
Marketing Specialist
Phone: (613) 234-1810, ext. 3247
Toll Free: 1-800-281-2339, ext. 3247
Email: d.gasser@eagleonline.com