Nearly 25 years ago, Christine Taylor-Butler attended her first Highlights Foundation workshop. Today, she’s published nearly 100 books and supports a special scholarship in her and husband Ken’s name at the Highlights Foundation. This is her story.
In early 2000, I left my engineering job to write for children.
It was impulsive but I wanted to make a difference for kids struggling with literacy and STEM. However, the lack of diversity in publishing was an impediment to getting a book contract outside of several narrow subjects.
I met Kent Brown (founder of the Highlights Foundation) at a conference. He asked me to submit something, but I was convinced he was just being polite and I wasn’t ready.
Undeterred, he invited me to Chautauqua, where the Highlights Foundation held its first summer workshops. The cost (even discounted) was difficult. But Ken and I made the commitment, and off I went.
The week was life-altering.
There, I met industry leaders like Bernette Ford, Jerry Spinelli, James Cross Giblin, and Patti Lee Gauch. Their mentorship made a huge difference in how I approached my career. I enrolled in more classes, which strengthened my writing and knowledge of the industry.
I stretched to afford the classes and was sometimes offered scholarships to help. It paid off, and now I’ve now sold close to 100 books for kids to major publishers. I know that’s rare. Many colleagues are still trying to sell their first or second story. But the Highlights Foundation was a real building block that helped me along the way.
About the Christine & Kenneth Taylor-Butler Scholarship
Ken and I talked about how we could give back and help other authors have access to the same programs that helped me. That led to us setting up a monthly donation to build a scholarship fund at Highlights Foundation, the Christine & Kenneth Taylor-Butler Scholarship.
Each year, the Taylor-Butler Scholarship supports a storyteller (either a middle-grade novelist or picture book writer or illustrator) to attend a Highlights Foundation workshop of their choice. As Christine put it:
“Sometimes, the best ideas happen during quiet time in a cabin. Sometimes it’s a walk in the surrounding forest. Sometimes it’s the conversations after dinner with fellow writers. Whatever it is, we can’t think of a better place for authors to access creative renewal and support for becoming stronger writers than the Highlights Foundation.”
She continues: “We’re also stronger as a community, working together to create books and art that inspires kids. Ken and I are proud to be a part of it.”
Support a Scholarship at the Highlights Foundation
Our Special Scholarships are donor-guided scholarship funds. The creators (donors) of the scholarships help guide decisions about the fund, including the type of program they can be used on and who can be awarded the scholarship.
There are two ways to support our special scholarships:
1) Support an Existing Fund – Does one of our special scholarships already serve a purpose you’d like to support? All our existing scholarship funds accept donations to increase their impact and ensure their longevity.
2) Establish a Special Scholarship – You can also create your own scholarship fund. Here’s how: Options start at $1,500 per year with a minimum commitment of five years. As the fund creator, you can design the scholarship, designate who it supports, and set other criteria. Contact us to discuss options.
In addition to special scholarships, the Highlights Foundation also provides general scholarships. Supporting our general scholarship fund is another great way to support storytellers here at the Highlights Foundation.
