About OWSH

Storytime Trail was created by OneWorld Schoolhouse Foundation, a Canadian charity focused on local and global literacy. Since 2012, we have been creating book festivals for youth in the Caribbean and Ontario. We are committed to bring readers and storytellers together in ingenious ways and to celebrate the important stories that connect us all. You can always reach us at: inquiries.owsh@gmail.com.

Here’s a synopsis of other projects we’ve developed.

ReadableFest 2020
Is about empowering students to champion accessibility. The festival is a specialized reading program for students in grades 3 to 5 to address the critical task of building more accessible school communities. The program features selected fiction and non-fiction titles with disability themes and a full-day, participant-driven conference. Student-led committees produce action plans to support Ontario Ministry of Education required School Board Strategic Priorities and School Improvement Plans for their respective schools.

Rainforest of Reading 2012-2018
We've brought Canadian children’s book creators to meet over 50,000 students in the Eastern Caribbean. In March 2020, we suspended all activities internationally to focus on virtual author festivals and storytelling events here at home.

Ontario School Book Drives
At last count, we've shipped over 250,000 gently-used children's books donated by Ontario students to develop school libraries for their peers in Montserrat, Grenada, St. Lucia and Nevis. COVID-19 has curtailed this program for now but over 50 school libraries continue to offer students the literacy resources they need.

Sonya was with the Simcoe County and Upper Grand DSBs for over 20 years as a RCT for grades 4-8, a Special Education Resource teacher, and an Itinerant Teacher for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (K-12). She has led numerous accessibility professional development sessions for staff in the elementary and secondary panel. She is a frequent presenter to pre-service teachers in Faculties of Education. In June 2017, Sonya was the recipient of the Fred L. Bartlett Memorial Award given by Ontario Public School Boards’ Association for outstanding contribution to education in Ontario.

Richard’s love of words and pictures has guided his career as a writer and art director for over 30 years in advertising and design. He is the author of Finding Lily: A Memoir. From 2007–2012 he was a member of the Board of the International Festival of Authors at Harbourfront Centre. Prior to his career in marketing, he was a high school teacher in Ontario and The Bahamas. Richard is currently a sessional instructor at the Faculty of Business, Conestoga College.

Robin taught English and Creative Writing for thirty years, including twenty years at Centennial Collegiate in Guelph where she spent a great deal of time coaching cross country and track and field. Her passion for reading and running first drew her to OneWorld Schoolhouse five years ago when she organized running fundraiser events. Currently, Robin volunteers her time to create teacher resources and to support high school students in our OneWorld Schoolhouse Youth Ambassador Program.

Peter Kendall co-founded Earth Rangers with entrepreneur and environmentalist Robert Schad in 2004 and led the organization for 15 years. Thanks to Peter’s passion, innovation, and unique ability to inspire others, Earth Rangers is now the largest youth conservation organization globally, with more than 200,000 young members across Canada. Peter is the Executive Director of The Schad Foundation. In December 2019, Peter was inducted as a Member of the Order of Canada.

Marguerite has over 30 years of experience as teacher, principal and superintendent. From language learning to school leadership, her lens has been social justice and equity education. Recently retired from Toronto DSB, Marguerite teaches and provides practicum supervision for faculty of education students at Laurier University and OISE/UT. She is a member of The East York Scarborough Reading Association (host of Reading for the Love of It Conference); a board member of The Eden Mills Writers Festival; The Rotary Club of Guelph and The Guelph Black Heritage Society which supports the BIPOC community. She is also actively engaged in the Canadian Black History Project, a community initiative that enables teaching and learning Black History in Canada. Marguerite chairs the Safe, Equitable and Inclusive Schools Steering Committee for the Upper Grand DSB and serves as a board member for Scientists in Schools.

John Borthwick is an avid reader who celebrates breaking the 100 books in a year threshold in 2020. When he isn't reading (and while he is), he serves as Director of Lifelong Learning at Knox College, University of Toronto. John has become a trusted community leader in Guelph who has advocated strongly in the areas of poverty elimination and homelessness. He is passionate about collaboration and witnessing the beauty of diverse communities discovering their connectedness through storytelling and dialogue.

We are grateful to have Peter Garrow, member of the Mohawks of Akwesasne, Bear Clan, as an advisor to OWSH. Currently, Peter is the manager for Entewatatha;wi/Nation Building for Mohawk Council of Akwesasne. His former positions include: Education Director at Assembly of First Nations (2006-2013), Director of Education at Ahkwesahsne Mohawk Board of Education (1997-2006) and Indigenous Trustee, Upper Canada DSB. In this role he also chaired Ontario Public School Boards Association Native Trustee Council. Peter has taught Native Studies at St. Lawrence College and in 2012 was awarded the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for services to education.