Story Quest began after Charlotte Safieh graduated from Teacher's College in 2010. Realising she would need to volunteer to gain employment she decided to choose an area to volunteer in that she enjoyed the most, teaching students to write stories. What she added to this activity was the new technology available online to publish books professionally and affordably.

 

The results she gained from giving the students the opportunity to write their own stories was exciting, each student threw themselves into a creative process and with her guidance they wrote stories they were proud of. 

 

After teaching the students to write for a year she realised something was missing from her teaching, her own writing practice. She began to study creative writing in a formal program at the University of Toronto for Continuing Studies where she is pursuing a Certificate in Creative Writing. She has completed several courses; memoir writing, writing picture books, writing for young adults, short story writing and poetry 1 and 2.  Charlotte is an active member of a writing group, has written two picture books, several short stories and creative non fiction pieces, many poems and this year is studying novel writing.

 

Now in its sixth year Story Quest continues to inspire students to write their own stories and poems. She teaches them skills which help them gain confidence in writing and in many cases learn to love writing.

 

Charlotte lives in the West End of Toronto with her three children, husband, dog, cat and hamster.

 

Reference from Parkdale Public School's principal: