Press Release: 12-16-2011

McCall Elementary School students in Ms. Laurie Winner’s second grade class received a unique, personalized gift just in time for the holiday season, courtesy of older students clear across town.

As part of a nearly month-long communications class creative writing project, Jefferson Middle School eighth graders in Ms. Mary Carr’s class created professional-looking personalized books for their new second grade friends.

The hardcover books were written and illustrated using specific details about each second grader’s favorite people, places and things. Ms. Winner’s students each filled out a questionnaire with many questions about likes and interests, which were then given to a student in Ms. Carr’s class to aid in writing a story.

On Friday, December 16, students from Jefferson made the trip across town to personally deliver their books. At McCall, the classes held a small party that included singing, dancing, snacks and one-on-one reading between Jefferson and McCall students. Ms. Winner’s class thanked their new friends by performing a humorous rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York,” with lyrics changed to honor the North Pole.

“It was very exciting knowing that we were doing something special for the younger kids,” said eighth grader Belkiz Paz, who penned a story about a magical purple crayon that granted wishes. “We got to write an entire book about things they like.”

Email Contact: nalajakis@wps60.org

Students from Jefferson and McCall read together