Members of the seventh-grade writers club who contributed to the publication of Meanderings include, front row from left, Cecelia Chmelik, Amy Carpenter, Anna Hay, RaeAnne Silence, Molly LaVigne, Isaac Sandstrom, Merlin Higgins, and Tyler Hamrick. In middle row from left are Ann Mershon, Lucas Martinson, Jonah Schmidt, Taylor DeBoer, Silas Brandt, and Sky Robley. In back row are Wendy Hansen, Steve Surbaugh, Christie Poyirier, Keira Crow, Anna Heeren, Gavin VanDoren, Daunte Deschampe, Isaiah Deschampe, and Sue Nelson.
The Cook County Middle School seventh-grade writers club had a busy year, and it was capped off by the publication of their collaborative book Meanderings.
Written with honesty, bravery, humor and sometimes sadness, the 24 authors penned poems, short stories, and other creative pieces in these 89 pages that come alive with words and pictures that come straight from the heart. The book is complete with pictures and bios of the writers.
Former teachers Wendy Hansen and Kelly Dupre began discussing the idea of forming a writer’s club for middle school students in the summer of 2016. Both had been in writer’s clubs and Hansen said, “We wanted to share our love of this writing process with youth in a nurturing, stimulating environment. We believed the goal of publishing a book of the students’ writings could be enticing to adolescents.”
Middle School English teacher, Sue Nelson, not only welcomed the idea, said Hansen, “she fully joined us in the project, offering her fifth- and seventh grade English class for our first group.”
In October 2016 monthly writing and review sessions began. In January 2017, Ms. Nelson’s third period English class joined the group. In February and March, students began to select and edit their writing pieces and submit drawings and photos to accompany their work.
One-on-one sessions between the facilitators and students began at this time as well, said Hansen.
By April the students had finalized their selections and editing for the book was done.
Funding for the project came from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation, Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, Cook County Education Foundation, and the Grand Marais Lionesses.
Cook County I.S.D. 166 principal, Adam Nelson, permitted and encouraged the plan to incorporate this project into the school day and advisory periods, said Hansen, and Sue Nelson contributed many hours to advising, reviewing student work, and generally smoothing the path to publishing the book.
Then too students were assisted by local authors Carol DeSain an Ann Marie Mershon. Both authors helped to format and turn the publication into a professional piece of literature.
Hansen thanked her co-facilitator Kelly Dupre for her knowledge, efforts, and creative contributions throughout the process.
A party was held to celebrate the book at the Arrowhead Center of Arts on May 31. Students ate cake, drank punch and held the book and talked about it among themselves. Doing all of this pretty much at the same time. It was a good day. A good way to end a school year.
If you would like a copy of Meanderings, it can be ordered through Amazon Books for $7.95.
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