Students, their families, teachers and district staff gathered at Jericho High School on Oct. 29 to celebrate the release of “Inkstrumental,” the latest publication produced through the Future Authors Project, a collaborative writing workshop supported by Canon U.S.A.
This year’s edition was inspired by the connection between music and memory, with participants reflecting on how songs evoke emotions, bring people together and shape individual identities.
The Jericho School District began participating in the Future Authors Project in 2017 to give select high school students an opportunity to experience the full writing process — from developing ideas and finding their voice to editing and publication.
As part of the program, participants learned the fundamentals of photography during a presentation led by a Canon professional. Using Canon-provided Rebel SL2 cameras, students created original images to complement their written work in the book.
This year 34 participants, including 23 students and 11 teachers, contributed to the publication, which was printed and bound by Suffolk Printing using Canon’s production print technology.
“Canon is proud to continue supporting the Future Authors Project to help empower students to bring their stories to life through both words and images,” said Peter P. Kowalczuk, executive vice president and Client Services Group president at Canon U.S.A. “The creativity and authenticity displayed in this book exemplify the purpose of this program and the work we do to give young people the tools and inspiration to express themselves while learning the value of perseverance and collaboration. Congratulations to the students for their remarkable achievement, and we thank the teachers and faculty for their tremendous leadership.”
Daniel Salzman, curriculum associate for English language arts for the Jericho School District, said, “This unique experience empowers our students, and I am grateful to the team at Canon U.S.A., Inc. for their continued partnership in making this program possible. The Future Authors Project encourages young writers to explore their creativity, develop their voice and engage with new technologies that bring their work to life. It’s inspiring to see the pride our students take in seeing their names in print, and we thank Canon for helping make that possible year after year.”
For students the program was not only about creative growth but also about building community and discovering shared meaning.
The Future Authors Project empowers the next generation of writers, thinkers and creators to share their voices with the world by merging the art of storytelling with the science of printing. Through the program participants have the distinction of becoming published authors.
