I recently sat down with Andrew Hedgpeth, a second grader in Mrs. McCurley’s class at Spring Valley Center for Exploration. He is also in his second year with the Writer’s Workshop, a program run by a group of CIS volunteers. As Andrew explains, “Every Wednesday during recess time about five of us meet in the library and work on our books. The first time that I started doing this, I knew [CIS Site Coordinator] Ms. Martha put me in the perfect place. I love to write and have been doing it for a long time now.” Andrew has authored three books so far and dedicates his latest, Twice the Basketball, “to my family and my cousin Ethen.” The book begins and ends with Andrew eating a hotdog. “I really like this ending,” Andrew says and then with a laugh, adds, “Hotdogs, too!”
Alright, Andrew: pencil out, eyes on your own paper. Good luck.
What is something interesting you’ve recently learned?
You can write about anything you want to write about when it comes to writing. I have written about basketball, a type of vegetable, and the first book I ever wrote was about monster trucks. I’m part of the writing workshops where we do a lot of things to make books and so I’ve written about a lot of things. I write books in my class also. Writing is one of my favorite things to do.
What are you currently reading?
Books about aliens and interesting things like that. In fact, I wrote a book called Alien Invasion. I wrote it all by myself with no helping.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I will go to the one my mom went to.
What college is that?
I can’t remember but I’ll definitely go there. See, I want to be a professional book writer. I will write about funny things and send them to my friends and family and they will send them on to their friends and families so a whole lot of people will read my books.
What is your favorite word right now?
Just one word?
Illustration featured in Andrew’s book, Twice the Basketball
That’s kind of hard for a writer to think of just one word isn’t it?
Yes it is!
Well, then, what are a few of your favorites?
Aliens, monster trucks, basketball, lions, and horses.
Will you share with us something that has been on your mind lately?
Playing my last game of basketball. I am undefeatable.
Behind every successful student is a caring adult. Who is one of your caring adults?
My mom, my dad and some of my family. They help me spell words and do those kind of things to help me be a good student. My teacher, Mrs. McCurley, and my classmates all care too. And all the writing workshop people. Ms. Martha, too.
Tags: business in the schools, literacy, Martha Serio, Spring Valley Center for Exploration, volunteers, Writer’s Workshop
