2012 Laker Writers Camp Registration Form      

Online Registration Here 

We will be offering the following summer writing camps in 2012:

All camps meet from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm

• Allegan:  July 9-12:  Grades 4-6 in the Fall

        at the Allegan Administration Building

• Allendale:  July 9-12:  Grades 7-12 in the Fall

        at GVSU's Allendale (Main) Campus

• Belding:  June 25-28:  Grades 3-6 in the Fall

        at Belding Middle School Media Center

• Grand Rapids:  July 9-12:  Grades 3-5 in the Fall

        at GVSU's Pew (Downtown) Campus

• Grand Rapids: July 9-12:  Grades 6-8 in the Fall

• Grand Rapids:  July 16-19:  Grades 9-12 in the Fall

        at GVSU's Pew (Downtown) Campus

• Holland:  July 23-26:  Grades 4-6 in the Fall

        at GVSU's Holland Campus

• Muskegon:  July 16-19:  Grades 4-6 in the Fall

The deadline to register is 10 days before the start of each camp.

About Our Camps

The Lake Michigan Writing Project is proud to announce our annual Laker Writers' Camps! For one week, your future novelist, poet, or journalist will have the chance to explore the wonders of writing with some of West Michigan’s finest teachers!

The Laker Writers' Camps offers students an opportunity to explore many styles of writing in a fun environment.  With students returning each morning to the exciting environment, students participate in activities that create a community of writers and provide nurturing support for developing authors. To prompt writing, campers and facilitators may travel from their camp site to various age-appropriate places of interest, learning and inspiration.

Teachers plan writing activities that build confidence while providing the writing tools that inspire creative thinking and author’s craft. Campers write a variety of pieces such as poems, autobiographical sketches, short stories, and nature observations while engaging in the writing process of drafting, revising, responding and editing. Finally, each camper will choose a piece of his or her writing for publication in the camp anthology.

The Laker Writers' Camp is an outreach effort of the LMWP to encourageand nurture young writers. Our staff consists of Lake Michigan Writing Project Teacher-Consultants who have been identified as outstanding teachers of writing and nurturing role models for our campers.

Meet Our Teachers

Jill Annable (Allendale)

Mrs. Annable earned a bachelor's degree in English and Mathematics Education at Western Michigan University. She is in the process of completing her master's degree in Secondary Education at Grand Valley State University. Mrs. Annable teaches at Spring Lake Middle School in the English department, where she enjoys reading young adult literature and working on her own writing pieces alongside the young writers in her class. She is also a Teacher-Consultant with the Lake Michigan Writing Project. When time (and weather) permits, she enjoys taking walks with her husband and rowdy dog.

Bethany Burnett (Allegan & Holland)

Mrs. Burnett attended Michigan State University for the English and teaching degrees. She also completed her Master's Degree in Teacher and Curriculum at Michigan State University. Currently, Mrs. Burnett teaches 4th grade at Dawson Elementary School in Allegan Public Schools and is a Teacher-Consultant with the Lake Michigan Writing Project. In her free time, she enjoys mounting biking, running, walking her dog and spending time with her husband and young son.

Leanne Feuerstein (Belding)

Mrs. Feuerstein attented Central Michigan University for her undergraduate work, and is currently finishing her Masters in Reading through Grand Valley State University. She teaches 4th Grade at Woodview Elementary in Belding, and has for the last 6 years. Mrs. Feuerstein and her husband have a 2 year old daughter, and are currently awaiting the arrival of baby number two. Mrs. Feuerstein and her husband enjoy going to Michigan Football games every fall her hobbies in her spare time are: spending time with her family, reading, writing, playing golf and walking.

Mrs. Fortmeyer attended Liberty University (Music Education) and then received her Bachelor's degree (Language Arts/Elementary Education) and her Master's degree (Reading) at Grand Valley State University. She teaches third grade at North Muskegon Elementary and enjoys collaborating with others as a Teacher-Consultant with the Lake Michigan Writing Project. In her free time, she enjoys music, playing keyboard with her church's worship team and gospel jazz group, reading, writing, baking, and traveling with her husband and family.

Kris Forward (Grand Rapids High School)

Mr. Forward received a BA from California State University at Northridge and will soon have a Master's from Grand Valley State University.  He teaches English to sophomores and seniors at Rockford High School. Although he loves to write personal narratives and poems, non-fiction usually crowds his reading time.  He has a wife and two lovely daughters, and spends free time drinking tea and petting his cat. 

Ingrid Fournier (Grand Rapids Elementary)

Mrs. Fournier went to James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA for her bachelor's degree. She then got her Masters in Education from the University of Michigan after serving two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the West Indies. Mrs. Fournier currnetly teaches in Forest Hills Public Schools 5th Grade, Northern Trails, in the Spanish Immersion program. In her free time, she loves to travel, read, and write.

Tracy Horodyski (Grand Rapids Elementary)

Mrs. Horodyski is a graduate of Grand Valley State University.  Go Lakers!  She currently teaches at Zinser Elementary School in Kenowa Hills.  Mrs. Horodyski loves to spend time with her family and friends and enjoys being active:  running, hiking, roller blading, biking, swimming, golfing, dancing and going to the beach.  And, of course, she always finds it a pleasure to have some quiet time to read and write!

Jan Lamborne (Belding)

Mrs. Lamborne received her Masters Degree from Central Michigan University, in fact, her husband and three children are also CMU grads.  She teaches first grade at Ellis Elementary School in Belding. She loves spending time with her family and is fortunate enough to have her children and grandchildren living close to her.  Some of Mrs. Lamborne's favorite things to do are reading, writing, spending time in her garden, going for walks, bike rides and enjoying her friends.

Cheri Millisor (Grand Rapids Middle School, Holland & Muskegon)

Mrs. Millisor received a B.A. in Elementary Education English Language Arts and a Masters in Education as a Reading Specialist from GVSU. She is a Teacher-Consultant with the Lake Michigan Writing Project. Mrs. Millisor is a 3rd grade teacher at Marquette Elementary School in the Muskegon Public Schools. Birdwatching and perennial gardening peak her interest when she is not spending time with her husband, son and daughter.

Dan Modderman (Grand Rapids High School)

Mr. Modderman earned his B.A. in Education with an emphasis in teaching English and History from GVSU in 1997. He began teaching at Rockford High School in the fall of 1997 and has been teaching for 14 years. He has taught a variety of writing and literature classes with students of varying ages and learning abilities. He has participated in team teaching; teaching mainstreamed special education students, and accelerated students. He is currently teaching English 10 Honors and AP Language and Composition at Rockford High School. In 2005 he earned his M.A. in Education with a Concentration in English from GVSU, and became a Teacher Consultant and Teacher Researcher with the National Writing Project in 2006. This winter Dan began working with future writing teachers and is currently teaching Secondary Methods in Writing at GVSU. Recently, he has traveled to Washington D.C. to lobby for education reform and support for the National Writing Project.

Mary Shannon (Allegan)