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Author and illustrator Melissa Sweet signs books for fans between presentations. Photo by Dylan Nelson / WWU Communications and Marketing intern

Four award-winning children’s and young adult book authors and illustrators visited Western Washington University this past weekend for the 13th Annual Children’s Literature Conference.

The yearly conference brings together teachers, librarians, readers, and writers to celebrate children’s literature and reflect on how children’s books shape the experience of growing up.

Photo by Dylan Nelson / WWU Communications and Marketing intern

Award-winning author and illustrator Melissa Sweet spoke to a crowd of children, parents, students, teachers and writers at Western Washington University Thursday, Feb. 25, on how she creates her work. She talked about what it's like being an illustrator and described the pressures of creating art to go with other authors' stories.

Sweet also demonstrated how she uses old books as "fodder" for painting and creating new art and described some of her illustrating tactics, such as how she never uses the color black to darken parts of paintings.

Professor Eric Leonhardt holds a class with Western’s Academy for Lifelong Learning, focusing on changes in automotive technology and advancements in engine design. Photo by Dylan Nelson / WWU Communications and Marketing intern

Western Washington University Professor Eric Leonhardt, director of Western's Vehicle Research Institute, taught a class Feb. 25 through Western’s Academy for Lifelong Learning. Through ALL, community members, young or old, can take classes taught by Western professors.

Thursday's class focused on current and ongoing changes in automotive technology and advancements in engine design. Students also talked about wind and tire resistance, fuel efficiency and the rise of electric cars.

Feb. 18 "Vitality" art show reception, part of Western's BRAVE suicide prevention program. BRAVE stands for Building Resilience And Voicing Empathy.

Western Washington University’s BRAVE program held a reception for its Vitality Art Show Feb. 18 at the B Gallery inside Western's Fine Arts Building on campus.

BRAVE, which stands for Building Resilience and Voicing Empathy, is Western Washington University’s Suicide Prevention program. BRAVE is funded by a 3-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Ad-ministration (SAMHSA) from the U.S. Department of Human Services (HHS).

Western Washington University will host local historian Brian Griffin for a talk on exploring Bellingham’s history through archival research at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at the Goltz-Murray Archives Building, 808 25th St. in Bellingham.  

The event is free and open to the public.

I am Broken, and Proud by Jamie Bennett

Western Washington University’s BRAVE program will host a Vitality Art Show from Feb. 16-20 in the B Gallery inside Western's Fine Arts Building on campus.

Students and the public are welcome to come view the art pieces weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and there will be a reception in the gallery at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18 with free food to celebrate the winners of the art show.

Bellingham Mayor Kelli Linville announces 'Energy Year' at Bellingham City Hall Wednesday, Feb. 3. Photo by Rhys Logan / WWU

It's Energy Year in Bellingham.

Making that announcement at a festive celebration Wednesday afternoon was Mayor Kelli Linville, who also launched the Bellingham Energy Prize at the event.

The energy prize is a group effort of nine community partners, including Western Washington University; the prize brings energy saving resources together to make it easy to access expert help and take simple steps to save energy.

Photo by Libby Keller / for Western Today

During his long career as a photographer, journalist and co-owner of the Anacortes American, the Whidbey News-Times, and the South Whidbey Record, Wallie V. Funk photographed a diverse and eclectic range of subjects, including several U.S.

Renee Collins, left, Western's associate dean of students, and WWU student Jordan Butler, right, kick off Tuesday's MLK ceremony in the Western Libraries Reading Room. Photo by Rhys Logan / WWU

[ Editor's note: Hover the cursor over each image to read the associated cutline. ]

Western Washington University honored the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. with an event on Tuesday, Jan. 19, featuring Chicago Civil Rights leader the Rev. Marshall Hatch; noted New York City poet, performer and activist Crystal Valentine; and performer Terry John “TJ” Robinson II.