Students become published authors

LYNN – For some authors it takes a lifetime of struggle and internal conflict before they are finally published, but a group of academically gifted fifth graders can now lay claim to that distinction thanks to a project led by teacher Kathy Ryan.The Project Summit program at the Harrington School features fifth grade students from schools across the city who are more advanced and academically gifted than their peers.One of the many special projects Ryan and her students completed this year involved learning the process of writing a book and becoming a published author. And with the help of the Nationwide Learning Inc. in Topeka, Kan., the students are now sporting new hardcover books that they wrote and illustrated themselves.Students learned every step of the process and quickly found out that writing a book is more complicated and time consuming than simply coming up with a story idea.First, individuals brainstormed different genres of books and decided which they would like to write. The class featured fiction, non-fiction, adventure, crime, fantasy, autobiography, poetry and horror, and no two stories were the same.Brianna Ball wrote a book of poetry about every member of her family, while Yeidalay Mejia wrote a non-fiction piece about a fun slumber party that she had with her friends.Whatever the story, students had to work hard to perfect their ideas. After writing and editing the story once themselves, it was edited again by a classmate and one final time by Ryan.The students could hand write or type the book, with most of them choosing to type because it would help improve their keyboarding skills.”I wrote a fantasy crime investigation because I have always been fascinated with investigating crime,” said Michael Royce. “I wanted to be a writer before this, but now I am going to write more because of this because I kind of feel like I’m at the top.”Chelsea Capone said she chose to publish a poetry book.”I decided to write poetry because my mom wrote poetry when she was little,” she said. “It feels good to finish something, like I am accomplished.”Other students said they learned how to be patient and put in the proper time and effort to writing so that the book comes out the way that they wanted it to.”I wanted to write an autobiography so that I have something to show my kids when I get older,” said Sweit Fiseha.In all, the project took the class over a month to complete, and then they had to mail away to have the books published in Kansas.The books arrived Wednesday with the students’ cover illustrations just how they had imagined.”I always wanted to be a writer before this,” said Phoebe Jean. “Now I am really excited because I got to do this.”