Dalers Assemble! Farmingdale School District hosted Genre Con on March 5, 2022. Genre Con is a celebration of art, literature, and pop culture organized by the school’s library staff. The day was packed with author visits, writers workshops, drawing lessons, contests, and photo ops.
“I am so excited to bring Genre Con back for the fourth time,” said Howitt Middle School librarian Julie Ehrenpreis. “We are thrilled to provide a fun-filled event for our students. Now, more than ever, our students need something engaging to participate in.”
Genre Con, usually held at Howitt Middle School, was so well received that Farmingdale High School got in on the fun this year and had their first-ever Genre Con event as well. School librarians Julie Ehrenpreis and Jennifer Bleicher organized Genre Con at their buildings with help from staff and student volunteers.
“Genre Con 2022 at the High School was a tremendous success,” said Farmingdale High School librarian Jennifer Bleicher. “Genre Con provided a great opportunity for students to socialize and have fun. Our special guests inspired our aspiring student authors and artists. The support from SEPTA and the Farmingdale community was wonderful. I feel blessed to work in such a great town!”
Farmingdale students who participated in Genre Con were treated to several engaging activities. There were scavenger hunts, costume contests, light writing, and photo ops with Darth Vader, Tusken Raiders, and Troopers from the 501st Legion.
A popular activity at Howitt Middle School was manga lessons from comic artist Misako Rocks. Manga is a style of drawing, originally from Japan, used in comic books and graphic novels. Students practiced manga drawing while Misako Rocks guided them and answered questions.
Farmingdale High School students also had the opportunity to workshop with several authors. Dark fantasy, horror author, and Farmingdale Alumnus Trevor Firetog appeared at the high school and spoke with students about his writing journey. Backroom Comics, a group of talented writers and artists who also happen to be Farmingdale alumni, met with students and workshopped how to write well-rounded characters.
A special thanks to our committee members for making Genre Con 2022 a HUGE success.
FHS Genre Con Committee 2022: Jennifer Bleicher, Samantha Black, Joe Glascott, Becky Kim, Mike King, Aliya Ladha, Diana Rossi, and Daryl Valdivia.
HMS Genre Con Committee 2022: Julie Ehrenpreis, Samantha Black, Chris Blair, Robyn Borstelmann, Audra Donroe, Merle Goess, Maria Hallahan, Sue Reilly, Terri Stapleton, and Jess Zanco.
PHOTOS--HMS Genre Con PHOTOS--FHS Genre Con
FHS Genre Con--Click HERE for more information and to learn about our special guests
HMS Genre Con--Click HERE for more information and to learn about our special guests