Fourth grade authors to get superstar treatment

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Fourth graders from two local elementary schools will get superstar treatment when they arrive at the University of Louisville Dec. 2 to share their stories as part of a writing project.

The youngsters will walk down a red carpet, have photos taken by the “paparazzi” (UofL students) and proceed into the Gheens Science Hall and Rauch Planetarium for a showcase presentation of six “This I Believe” stories.

The 9:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. event marks the culmination of a semester-long program encouraging students from Cochran Elementary and Atkinson Academy to define their core values while honing their writing skills. The schools and the university’s College of Education and Human Development collaborated on the project.

UofL students in an Arts and Sciences graduate seminar also participated by creating two videos—one that chronicled the teaching and learning process and another that gave each author a few moments in the spotlight to share a core belief.

About 80 fourth graders, teachers and administrators are expected to attend the event.

“This I Believe” began in the 1950s as a radio series by journalist Edward R. Murrow. A book by the same name was released in 2007 with a collection of essays written by people from all walks of life. The book is the university’s Book in Common for the 2013-2014 academic year.

For more information contact Christine Sherretz, assistant professor of literacy, at mailto:christine.sherretz@louisville.edu or 502-852-2302.