invite me to be your next speaker! |
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Pediatric Endocrinology Nursing Society National Conference
Writing about historical women I've learned so much about the compassion and courage we possess. And the incredible power of those qualities when we use them to fully engage in the circumstances of our lives. I speak about this when visiting schools, libraries, writers' workshops and organizations. In workshops with students and writers, I teach skills and strategies in the context of this engagement.
I've learned the strength of leadership and grit from women prisoners-of-war, the power of unity and collaboration from a labor organizer, the courage to step beyond your comfort zone from black women who dared join the segregated US army in WWII, and how to go after what you want from a young woman who followed U.S. Marines into some of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War.
The women of history have much to teach us no matter our discipline. I've customized my workshops for students K-though-college, and audiences as varied as veterans, English teachers, Rotarians, women's groups, military personnel, labor union members, nurses, librarians and fiction and nonfiction writers. I would love to work with you, too!
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A full-house crowd awaits a conversation with author Mary Cronk Farrell and Cindy Hval about her most recent book titled, Close-Up on War: The Story of Pioneering Photojournalist Catherine Leroy in Vietnam, during a Northwest Passages community event held Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in the Montvale Event Center. Photos courtesy Colin Mulvany The Spokesman-Review.
Washington State Women's Veterans Summit
I help organizations...
I help organizations...
- open or close events with a call to collaboration and courage
- speak about grit and how to cultivate it
- engage people around the power of story in our lives
- Inspire with the stories of little -known women of history
I help writers...
- Fiction and nonfiction writing skills
- deal with unwieldy narrative structure in longer non-fiction
- understand the nooks and crannies of sound research
- find courage to explore blocks and strengthen the writer’s life
- to write from their emotional core
Onion Creek, WA
I help teachers...
- show students how good writing skills empower them
- show how exciting research can be
- work with students on skills to enliven writing and strengthen message
- present history through the minds and eyes of those who lived it
- demonstrate how the past links to the present and future
All Saints Middle School, WA
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I help students...
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Manchaka Library, Austin, Texas
I help librarians...
- provide little-known stories of heroic women
- offer new angles on American history
- celebrate Veteran's Day, Black History Month, WWII events
- strengthen young people's interest in reading and writing
Pittsburgh, PA
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Mary was great! |
St. John Bosco Academy, Pittsburgh, PA
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She was absolutely fabulous. |
Mary is a very |
Onion Creek, WA
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Salk Middle School, Spokane, WA
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Schools Visit ideas
I enjoy working with students and teachers virtually during the pandemic, but hope to return to in-school visits soon!
I take a practical, hands-on, interactive approach, combining my own writing journey with exercises designed to give students confidence in their abilities while teaching solid writing skills. I speak frequently in the community and presents workshops in schools, libraries, bookstores, at camps and conferences. The programs listed below are examples of what I have presented before, but I enjoy working with teachers and librarians to customize my presentations so students can get the most benefit from my visit.
My 30-years of professional writing experience includes:
For questions about my school visits or to schedule a visit email or phone:
MaryCronkFarrell@gmail.com
509-838-5371
Where Does Courage Come From?
Fannie Sellins lived in the Gilded Age of American Industrialization when the Carnegies wore jewels and their workers wore rags. She confronted anti-immigrant prejudice and discrimination. She stood up against violence.
Irena Sendler lived in Nazi-occupied Poland. She protested religious bigotry and persecution. She acted against racism and hate crime.
Both women showed up daily, working to improve the lives of poor women and children. Fannie and Irena risked their lives for what they believed, risked their lives fighting the very same injustices that plague our time.
What can we learn from Fannie and Irena?
How do we find courage for our time and our circumstances?
Whether at school, at home or in our community in the midst of our everyday lives we can take small steps that add up to a big difference. Ordinary people busy with their daily routine can find courage to stand up and make life better in our communities.
This 50-minute interactive workshop is suitable for ages 10 and up. It works best with smaller groups such as individual classrooms. It may be combined with a more in-depth writing workshop 75-90 minutes in length.
The Feminine Face of Courage
The Feminine Face of Courage
PURE GRIT: HOW AMERICAN WWII NURSES SURVIVED BATTLE AND PRISON CAMP IN THE PACIFIC is the little-known true story of 79 army and navy nurses captured POW by the Japanese in the Philippines shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
In this 45-minute program I tell the story of one nurse, using her words, photos that didn't make the book and historical film footage from WWII. This presentation is suitable for assemblies of 5th-12th grade students.
With smaller groups of students in individual classrooms, it may be combined with more a more in-depth question and answer session, and/or a writing workshop 75-90 minutes in length.
teachers_guide_for_pure_grit.docx
Download File
An Explosion or Learning
My historical novel Fire in the Hole! is based on true events, including an explosion that turned the course of Idaho history. It's the story of 14-year-old Mick Shea, son of a union miner in Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene Mining District in the late 19th century labor wars.
Students will see a hands-on demonstration of museum quality mining artifacts, showing how miners worked before electricity and power drills. I talk about how I conducted research for the novel and show students historical photos and newspaper articles. Includes a question and answer period.
30-minute large group presentation or suitable for K-4 classrooms
60-minute presentation suitable for 5th-12th classrooms
90-minute presentation includes a writing workshop 5th-12th classrooms
Picture
Teacher Guide for FIRE IN THE HOLE!
Download File
Fiction Writing Workshop
30-minute Plotting & Character
60-minute Plotting & Character, Action, Dialogue, Description, Detail
Non-Fiction Writing Workshop
30-minute What? Why? How? =Content/Purpose/Audience
60-minute What? Why? How? with fundamentals of research
Revision: The Secret to Good Writing
30-minute recommended for grades 3rd – 8th
What is good writing? Revise by asking five big questions.
60-minute recommended for grades 5th – 8th
Can’t get past the ‘It’s all done’ syndrome? This session will offer specific techniques and processes that can help middle school students achieve results through revision, including effective critique, self-editing strategies, and ways to help middle school students find their own voice.
I take a practical, hands-on, interactive approach, combining my own writing journey with exercises designed to give students confidence in their abilities while teaching solid writing skills. I speak frequently in the community and presents workshops in schools, libraries, bookstores, at camps and conferences. The programs listed below are examples of what I have presented before, but I enjoy working with teachers and librarians to customize my presentations so students can get the most benefit from my visit.
My 30-years of professional writing experience includes:
- eight books published for young people
- Ten-years as a television reporter in Spokane and Seattle
- On-the-scene radio reporter
- Eight years as a newspaper columnist
- Published numerous freelance articles in magazines and newspapers
- Published poetry as a teenager
For questions about my school visits or to schedule a visit email or phone:
MaryCronkFarrell@gmail.com
509-838-5371
Where Does Courage Come From?
Fannie Sellins lived in the Gilded Age of American Industrialization when the Carnegies wore jewels and their workers wore rags. She confronted anti-immigrant prejudice and discrimination. She stood up against violence.
Irena Sendler lived in Nazi-occupied Poland. She protested religious bigotry and persecution. She acted against racism and hate crime.
Both women showed up daily, working to improve the lives of poor women and children. Fannie and Irena risked their lives for what they believed, risked their lives fighting the very same injustices that plague our time.
What can we learn from Fannie and Irena?
How do we find courage for our time and our circumstances?
Whether at school, at home or in our community in the midst of our everyday lives we can take small steps that add up to a big difference. Ordinary people busy with their daily routine can find courage to stand up and make life better in our communities.
This 50-minute interactive workshop is suitable for ages 10 and up. It works best with smaller groups such as individual classrooms. It may be combined with a more in-depth writing workshop 75-90 minutes in length.
The Feminine Face of Courage
The Feminine Face of Courage
PURE GRIT: HOW AMERICAN WWII NURSES SURVIVED BATTLE AND PRISON CAMP IN THE PACIFIC is the little-known true story of 79 army and navy nurses captured POW by the Japanese in the Philippines shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
In this 45-minute program I tell the story of one nurse, using her words, photos that didn't make the book and historical film footage from WWII. This presentation is suitable for assemblies of 5th-12th grade students.
With smaller groups of students in individual classrooms, it may be combined with more a more in-depth question and answer session, and/or a writing workshop 75-90 minutes in length.
teachers_guide_for_pure_grit.docx
Download File
An Explosion or Learning
My historical novel Fire in the Hole! is based on true events, including an explosion that turned the course of Idaho history. It's the story of 14-year-old Mick Shea, son of a union miner in Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene Mining District in the late 19th century labor wars.
Students will see a hands-on demonstration of museum quality mining artifacts, showing how miners worked before electricity and power drills. I talk about how I conducted research for the novel and show students historical photos and newspaper articles. Includes a question and answer period.
30-minute large group presentation or suitable for K-4 classrooms
60-minute presentation suitable for 5th-12th classrooms
90-minute presentation includes a writing workshop 5th-12th classrooms
Picture
Teacher Guide for FIRE IN THE HOLE!
Download File
Fiction Writing Workshop
30-minute Plotting & Character
60-minute Plotting & Character, Action, Dialogue, Description, Detail
Non-Fiction Writing Workshop
30-minute What? Why? How? =Content/Purpose/Audience
60-minute What? Why? How? with fundamentals of research
Revision: The Secret to Good Writing
30-minute recommended for grades 3rd – 8th
What is good writing? Revise by asking five big questions.
60-minute recommended for grades 5th – 8th
Can’t get past the ‘It’s all done’ syndrome? This session will offer specific techniques and processes that can help middle school students achieve results through revision, including effective critique, self-editing strategies, and ways to help middle school students find their own voice.
Ridge Readers Book Club
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Pediatric Endocrinology Nursing Society National Conference
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