'They're Part Of My Family' | Baltimore City Teacher Of The Year Encourages Students To Express Themselves Through Authorship
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- During the summer, kids can sometimes forget what they learned in school.
In an effort to keep students engaged over the summer months, Waverly Elementary/Middle School teacher Kyair Butts gathered his class to write a book.
"I'm part of the family, they're part of my family, we are stronger together," Butts said.
Kayla Morgan, 12, wrote a story about a painful tale of bullying, shaming and ultimately resilience and redemption.
"It needs to get better, let's help by turning pain into prayer and let's pray for Baltimore," Morgan said.
Morgan is proud of her work, which is exactly what Butts was hoping for.
"I think it's important for people to see themselves as sometimes being greater than what others have told them they can be," he said. "So they have a book in from of them, and they're like, 'I did that.'"
That's why the publisher of the stories is empowering people to express themselves through authorship.
"I think when kids see their work in print, they feel like their voice really does matter," Whitney Birenbaum, of CHARM Magazine, said.
This point was reiterated in this workshop for the Waverly sixth graders by local author Sheri Booker.
"When you start telling your story, the opportunities open up for you today," Booker said.