"Valerie has been teaching writing workshops for a variety of ages at the Columbus Public Library since 2015. When I was hired in 2022, I contracted Valerie to do a 4-session workshop series for kids in grades 4-8 during the Spring of 2023. Our success was measured not only by sign-ups, but by enthusiasm from the students. They were so sad to have the writing workshop series end that Valerie and I decided to offer summer writing labs at the library. She has gone on to do both the spring workshops and summer writing labs for two years in a row. Additionally, Valerie has tailored National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) Junior materials to create a 3-session fall series for the past two years. Valerie has gone above and beyond to create a progressive writing program here at the Columbus Public Library. She is very organized and builds upon the curriculum from program to program to help the students grow in their knowledge, confidence and skill in writing stories while working with beginner writers simultaneously. She finds a balance to work with new and returning students by using techniques such as a “round robin” story that everyone contributes to at each session, offering one-on-one assistance to students, creating curriculum materials specific to the group and sends out “Monday Motivation” emails during NaNoWriMo. She has found the perfect balance between fun and serious so that the kids know they are being taken seriously, but also still get to laugh and enjoy their time diving into their stories. We have several students who I anticipate going on to pursue writing as a career and getting published thanks to the encouragement and opportunity that Valerie has given them with these writing workshops. I highly recommend that anyone who wishes to have a writing workshop get in touch with Valerie. We are so grateful for her help in developing a thriving creative writing program for tweens." - Helen Wirka, Youth Services Coordinator, Columbus (WI) Public Library

"Valerie was wonderful to work with! Communication before the event was prompt and thorough, making the event as stress free as possible. She hosted two writing workshops for our students and was easily able to adapt her lessons to meet the needs, interests, and experiences of the students who attended each session. The sessions were lively and had great student participation. Students have already asked when Valerie will be coming back to our school!"-Leah Preiss, Teacher and Literary Arts Council Advisor, Poynette School District

"Valerie was the emcee at our annual Battle of the Books competition for 7th-12th graders.   She did a fantastic job the entire evening - from the time she arrived, throughout, and after the event! She interacted  exceptionally  well with everyone - including the teens participating, library staff, and those attending in the audience. She had a natural enthusiasm to do this emcee project for us and this all resulted in a very successful event!" -Rebecca Petersen, Director, and Connie Griseto, Administrative Assistant, Manitowoc-Calumet Library System

“Working with Valerie Biel was a delight! We had great communication prior to the event, and her workshop was well attended. Biel presented her topic in a concise, organized manner, and she had a thorough understanding of her subject. What further impressed me was how approachable/accessible she made herself to conference attendees before/after her presentation—personal conversations with guest speakers enhance an attendee’s experience and help make the event memorable.”  –Ruth Percey, Organizer, Lakefly Writers Conference/Oshkosh Public Library (WI)

“Valerie provides engaging activities for students that promote strong writing skills in children. She connects well with students and empowers them as young writers. Her enthusiasm for books is contagious!” -Julie O’Connell, Teacher, 4th Grade, St. Jerome School, Columbus(WI)

“Valerie Biel presented a three-part writing workshop for grades 5-12 at the library I was working for at the time in Columbus, WI. I was impressed with the curriculum she came up with and it was clear that she had put a lot of time and thought into it. The workshops were well-attended and well-received. Valerie is truly a pro at working with this age group, as she was able to speak on their level and “nerd out” with them, while also focusing their attention to the topic. Thanks to the interest sparked by these workshops, I was able to kick off a brand new program at my library—a monthly writing group for teens and tweens that was—and continues to be successful to this day. I would highly recommend Valerie as a knowledgeable, congenial partner and resource.” –Katrina Dombrowsky, Youth Services Librarian, Hennepin County Libraries (formerly Youth Services Director, Columbus Public Library)