BY ANNIE TIAN ’29
The Canon Future Authors Project is a summer program hosted and funded by the Canon global corporation, and Jericho High School has the honor of participating in it again.
Lasting four days, this program blends writing and photography to provide students with a fantastic opportunity to not only grow as writers, but to also develop bonds with fellow writers who share the same passions and interests. Each year presents students with a theme to write about, with previous examples including food, letters, music, and reconnecting with one’s past.
The Canon Future Authors summer program allows students to explore countless forms of writing, including personal narratives, poetry, memoirs, and collaborative storytelling. Furthermore, the program is unique in that it breaks students away from the pressures of in-school writing, which often revolves around a letter grade rather than the actual process. Dr. Dan Salzman, Jericho’s Curriculum Associate of English Language Arts, said, “I think that this program gives students an amazing opportunity for their growth as student writers and voice.”
However, what makes this program truly so special is the end product: a physical anthology with all the participants’ pieces and author bios published by Canon. English teacher Ms. Mellene Hederian describes these bios as a way for an author to self-reflect. Ms. Hederian said, “It’s a cool feature that allows you to introduce yourself to the audience that’s reading the book.” These pieces feature different kinds of writing that all relate to the theme, which undergo proofreading and peer editing throughout the program.
After the book is officially published in the fall, the school district hosts a book signing night to honor all the authors who worked so hard and contributed so much. During this event, the books are distributed, and participants get to experience a sense of professional publication by having their photo taken and sitting behind tables to give autographs. Past Canon participant Richard Y. ’26 said he’d recommend this program to fellow students and that his favorite part was “taking pictures and spending time with my friends or collaborating with teachers and students.”
This year, the director of the Canon Young Authors program is English teacher Ms. Samantha Cunningham. When discussing the program, she emphasized the relationships it allows participants to develop with each other, among both teachers and students.
Although this program takes place at school, it is important to recognize that it does not follow the exact same set of rules. A tradition of students calling teachers by their first names helps to break down barriers that a typical academic hierarchy enforces, allowing students to realize that ultimately, teachers are people, too. Ms. Cunningham describes the Canon program group as a family. She said, “We do a lot of activities that I think benefit the students, not only in their writing, but in building a community and having another friendly face when you walk in the halls.”
Ultimately, this program is a perfect opportunity for students who want to explore writing, meet others who share their ideas, or simply explore something new over the summer. Jericho is honored to have the opportunity to participate in this program, as it is one of only two schools in the entire country to have this chance.
Jericho High School looks forward to seeing what its future authors produce this summer!
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