These past few months some colleagues and I have been working on an anthology that collects writing and art from students at Johnston Middle School where I work. I’m happy to say that it is finally finished and available for sale on Amazon. This is the first of what we hope will be an annual publication designed to give our students a chance to experience the joy of seeing their creative works in print.

We gave them no restrictions (as long as it was age appropriate, of course), we allowed them to submit as many pieces as they wanted, and we rejected no one as long as they were willing to revise and resubmit when necessary. I love the eclectic mix of content we ended up with!

I’d like to see this become a trend among schools. The world needs writers. It needs artists, and I hope more schools take the initiative to develop the creativity of their students, especially in an educational climate where rote learning and standardized tests are king.

Check it out here.

We’re proud of our students!