By Victoria Galan, MDPS

The Miami-Dade Public Library System is looking for 20 teens, ages 13-18, who are interested in working alongside award-winning young adult author Kekla Magoon. Ms. Magoon is the recipient of the America Library Association’s Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe Award for New Talent and is the author of The Rock and the River; Camo Girl;37 This I Love (in no particular order); and the soon-to-be-released, Fire in the Streets.

The Young Adult Writer-in-Residence program runs September – November 2012 and will offer teens the opportunity to develop their writing skills. The program will provide them with a platform to receive critique and feedback on their short stories, poems, and other writings by a published young adult author. Ms. Magoon will also mentor the teens on writing both as a creative outlet and as a profession.

Applications are available online at www.mdpls.org. In order to apply, teens must be 13-18 years old, have an active Miami-Dade Public Library card in good standing, the ability to access the Internet, a signed participation agreement and provide a sample of their writing (no more than 500 words).  Applications are being accepted through June 30, 2012. For more information, contact 305.375.5180.