Have you ever wondered what happens after graduating from CEHS? Join us for the first in a new series of programs featuring Cape Elizabeth alumni as we hear about their journeys beyond Cape and what led them to where they are now. Kicking off this exciting new series is writer and journalist Elisa Boxer, author of 11 books for young people. Elisa will tell us how she got her start, where her career has taken her, and what she hopes life holds for her in the future. 

After Elisa’s talk, she will lead us through an hour-long writing program! Want to write a children’s book, but aren’t sure where to start? This is the workshop for you! Elisa will walk you step-by-step through the basics. You’ll learn how every great story starts with a big emotion. From there, you’ll embark on adventures in character, setting, and plot. And you’ll come away with ideas for your very own children’s book — the one that only you can write! Zero experience necessary. All ages welcome.

Elisa Boxer wrote her first book at age four, from her home in Cape Elizabeth. She graduated from Cape Elizabeth High School in 1989, and went on to become an Emmy-winning journalist and columnist whose work has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Fast Company, and Inc. magazine. Elisa is the author of numerous acclaimed children’s books, including One Turtle’s Last Straw (winner of the 2024 Maine Chickadee Award), Tree of Life, Dear Younger Me, and Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the Holocaust, which won the Sydney Taylor Silver Medal, the Maine Literary Award, and was a Booklist Editor’s Choice pick for 2024. Elisa now lives and writes in Scarborough. She has many more books on the way, including Unexpected Undercover: 50 Fearless Female Spies. You can visit Elisa at www.elisaboxer.com.