February
2007 Update
A group of 5th and 6th graders from First Place School just left 826
Seattle a few minutes ago. Together they wrote a story called Horns
in the Hood. The main character is a black unicorn named Fluffy who
sports an afro. He is, in general, the recipient of quite a bit of taunting,
except from Jackie, his only friend. Jackie has a blue Mohawk with pink
fringe. This compelling story about differences and dealing with life
was written, printed and published in just under two hours here at 826
Seattle. Horns in the Hood joins a host of other books written this
year such as:
• Heavy Metal Alien by Ms. Dunker-Olson’s 5th grade at Greenwood
Elementary
• Trouble at the Super Slide: How Gary and Peanut Butter Became
Friends by Mr.
Crandall’s 1st/2nd class from First Place
• Super S’more and the Terrible Toasting Dragon by Mr. Leung’s
3rd grade class
from Whittier Elementary
• Space Dog’s Revenge by Ms. Elenbaas’ 3rd grade class.
We’ve also got
some screenplays in our library collection such as The Dare, the Duck
and the Dead: A Screenplay by Ms. Hartman’s 6th grade class at
Whitman Middle School and All Because of Ella: A Screenplay by Ms. Fullerton’s
6th grade class from
Moorelands Elementary.
Our field trips are booked through the end of this school year –
no kidding. Classes come in Wednesday and Thursday mornings and finish
a story or a screenplay together in two hours. How do we do it? With
a host of volunteers, digital cameras, a projector, a book binding machine,
Mr. Geoduck (our grouchy publisher) yelling from the back, Harriet,
his hairy harried helping hand (thinly disguised as a fur-covered oven
mitt) collecting illustrations from our volunteer artist, a volunteer
typing the story on the screen - and each student giving the group story
an original ending to top it all off. “Every one of my students
leaves 826 Seattle feeling like a real writer,” Greenwood Elementary
School teacher Lisa Dunker Olson wrote in a recent evaluation. And she’s
right.
There’s a reason these trips are booked solid – because every
child leaves feeling like a real writer. And, of course, because they're
free – like everything we offer young people here at 826 Seattle.
Teachers who wish to be on our mailing list which will include information
about when
and how to sign up for trips next school year should email alicepedersen@826seattle.org
Other news: Justin Allan will be taking over the store in March. He
will also oversee
826 Seattle events such as The Mustache-athon and the wishbone breaking
contest - and we’ve heard a rumor that he might organize a march
in front of the store to protest the recent announcement that Pluto
is not a planet. What do you mean – Pluto is NOT a planet?!? How
can they just take Pluto away from us like that without even a whimper
from the populace? Justin thinks that Greenwood Space Travel Supply
Co. should lead the charge.
Justin is good. We have stolen him from Archie McPhee, our favorite
place from which to steal staff (such as Alex) and if he is as great
as Alex, we look forward to stealing more staff as we grow. (Just kidding,
Archie.) (By the way, we love Archie McPhee, a company that has been
very generous to us. We actually feel sort of bad about stealing Alex
and Justin, although not as bad as we feel good about having them with
us.)
Speaking of the store,
if you foresee any space travel supply needs on your horizon, pop in
before February 17th as the whole of 826 Seattle and the Greenwood Space
Travel Supply Co. will be closed for the week of the 18th. Yup….Seattle
Schools are out, we work really hard all the time and we are simply
taking the week off. Alex will be catching up on her reading and painting
her guest room. Therese will be heading down to Los Angeles. Teri is
off to Paris to “apartment sit” while her friends are in Italy.
And
Alice will be undoing institutionalized racism most of the week….ok
ok, she has an
Americorp training on the topic.
Lastly, stay tuned for my next update for JAWSL news. As most of you
know, April is
WASL (Washington Assessment of Standards Learning) month, a time when
students
across Washington State are tested on their ability to test in math,
reading and writing.
At 826 Seattle, we feel that math, reading and writing are essential
skills, but we also
think a sense of humor, kindness and an ability to control whining are
equally essential to a healthy life. We’re doing our part by introducing
the JAWSL (Jokes Are Where Students Learn), a standardized test currently
under construction by our highly skilled volunteers which we will administer
to any willing drop-in students in April. The test will measure students'
ability to get a joke, show a random act of kindness and stifle a whine,
all measured with a number 2 or 3 pencil and some circles to fill in.
How will we do it? Good question. That part we haven’t figured
out yet. But we do know extra points will go to students who create
an appropriate dance to accompany the JAWSL. I mean, it sounds like
a dance, doesn’t it… The JAWSL…and by the end of April
(aka WASL Month) we’ll all be ready to do some dancing.
Happy February, 07
Teri
