1,600 Detroit Students Meet Acclaimed Authors at Literacy for Kids’ Event

December 2, 2025

Over 1,600 middle school students from Wayne County schools participated in Literacy for Kids' annual author event at Music Hall Detroit and the Detroit Public Library this week. Students from ten schools across Detroit, Hamtramck, Redford, and Harper Woods met three acclaimed authors—Matt de la Peña, Soman Chainani, and Kelly Baptist—who contributed to the anthology "Flying Lessons and Other Stories" that students had been studying in class. The interactive event featured a moderated panel discussion, author readings, question-and-answer sessions, and concluded with students receiving signed copies of the anthology.

Who is affected

More than 1,600 middle school students from 10 schools in Detroit, Hamtramck, Redford, and Harper Woods
Authors Matt de la Peña, Soman Chainani, and Kelly Baptist
Moderator Joel Fluent Greene (Detroit-based poet and spoken-word artist)
Literacy for Kids organization and its founder/president Jayne M. Rose-Vallee
Students in Detroit and Wayne County who benefit from the nonprofit's programs

What action is being taken

Literacy for Kids is hosting author events bringing students together with published writers
The organization is providing students with signed copies of "Flying Lessons and Other Stories"
The anthology is being integrated into classroom curriculum in the weeks leading up to events
The nonprofit is continuing to grow its programs offering opportunities for students to engage with authors, poets, and storytellers

Why it matters

This program addresses literacy development and creative expression for young people by providing direct access to accomplished authors and professional writers. For many students, this represents their first face-to-face meeting with published authors, making literature and writing careers feel tangible and achievable. The initiative helps students recognize their own potential as writers and storytellers while fostering a lifelong love of reading and writing. By bringing nationally recognized talent to Detroit and Wayne County, the program demonstrates that world-class creative experiences are accessible to students in their own community, potentially inspiring the next generation of writers and thinkers.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle