How it began…
The iWRITE nonprofit organization “aims to build writing confidence for students in grades 3-12 through fun writing and publishing programs designed by real authors.” iWRITE and The Bryan Museum have partnered with New York Times bestselling author and illustrator team, Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos, to break the Guinness World Record title for the largest published book in the world called I Am Texas!
To break the record, a book over seven feet tall must be created, and 1000 Texas students had the chance to be featured! Their work will not only be published in the large book, it will also become a part of Meltzer and Eliopoulos’ Ordinary People Change the World series. To top it all off, winners will also have the opportunity to walk the red carpet at the annual book signing event this fall!
How it ended…
Well, AOS certainly knows how to represent! Over 100 pieces of our students’ work were selected to be part of the 1000 pieces that will be showcased in this book. We’ve heard that a picture is worth a thousand words, but what happens when thousands of students from across the great state of Texas band together with not only pictures but also stories and poems in an attempt to break a Guinness World Record and become part of history?
Marian Rosse’s 5th-grade English classes and T2 7th-grade LitMag enrichment students participated in this exciting contest. Amy Bento had her students submit as well, which was a great way to round out the study of Texas History in 4th grade. Moira Burgy helped facilitate the parent permission forms and worked with some students as they finalized their work before submitting. Meredith Wise jumped in to crop the artwork as was required for publication and offer art supplies to students who were submitting art pieces.
Hard work pays off! Some of the students whose work was not selected for this contest were chosen to have their Texas-themed stories, poems, or artwork in the AOS 2022 Caught in the Pages Literary Magazine.
The following AOS winners will be published inside the seven-foot book in the categories of short story, poetry, and art!
*The following winning artists are featured in the accompanying image: Charlie G., Sophia P., and Ava W. (first column); Mary (MP) S., Nadia T., and Oliva A. (second column).
4th Grade
Sebastian B.
The Voyage of the USS Texas, STORY
Kate B.
The Ship, STORY
Bronwynn B.
Wrecked, STORY
Emma B.
Texas is a Strange New Place, STORY
Alice C.
Falling, STORY
Milana C.
The Fish That Left the River, STORY
Nicolas C.
Open Land, STORY
Harper E.
The Idea That Changed Texas, STORY
Zaden E.
The Journey in Texas, STORY
Avi F.
The Discovery of Oil, STORY
Cade G.
In Your Paradise, STORY
Bryan G.
The Story of Josh and Rafi, STORY
Harper H.
Lipan Apache Trouble, STORY
Colton H.
Tornado vs Storm Chaser, STORY
Zachary K.
The Lipan Apache and the Comanche, STORY
Pierce M.
Lost, STORY
Esha M.
Change, STORY
Aarvi M.
Hurricane Harvey, STORY
Joshua M.
Emergency Landing, STORY
Charlie M.
The True Story of the Alamo, STORY
Cece M.
I Am Texas, STORY
Patricio M.
The Way of Expeditions, STORY
Zahra P.
The Golden Adventure, STORY
Shay P.
The Museum Mystery, STORY
Emily R.
Liberty’s Flight, STORY
Maria R.
Independence, STORY
Stella R.
Texas, the Place Where My Heart Lives, STORY
Stella Jane R.
An Adventure of Houston, STORY
Jackson R.
Hervy, STORY
Colette R.
Miss You Texas, STORY
Madeline S.
Ayana’s Story, STORY
Alyssa S.
Time Machine In Texas, STORY
Isabella S.
What Happened, STORY
Erik S.
Global Warning, STORY
August T.
Marco and His Escape from the Alamo, STORY
Maxwell W.
The Landings, STORY
Everett Y.
I Am Texas, STORY
Connie H.
The Truth, POEM
5th Grade
Anna A.
My Story of Texas, STORY
Julia C.
Ava’s Story, STORY
Meg D.
What a Mighty State, STORY
Blake D.
I Am Marley, STORY
Anne Cullen F.
Straight Down Texas Road, STORY
Zara C. E.
Breathe and Stretch Free, POEM
Kiki G.
Moving, STORY
Ben F.
Left in Texas, STORY
Evelyn M. G.
One Texas, STORY
Charlie G.
A Texas Trail Mix, ART
Owen Miles U.
Why Texas is Loved, POEM
Hannah T.
Starry Night, POEM
Marcus S.
Home, POEM
Peter S.
This Gracious Land, POEM
Nadia T.
The Texas Basics, ART
Quinn S.
Texas, POEM
Mary P. S.
Bluebells and Longhorns, ART
Grace V.
The Day the Teepee Fell, STORY
Zola Maryn R.
My Home Texas, POEM
Lidia R.
Barn Ballerina, STORY
Payton P.
The Most Haunted Hospital in Texas, STORY
Judson M.
First Summer in Texas, STORY
Cooper M.
A Man of Music, STORY
Derrick W. M.
New Life, STORY
Aidan M.
A Travel Back in Time, STORY
Ava May W.
Canoeing in Big Bend, ART
Abigail A.
Texas is Special, POEM
Emery A.
Old Eyed Mockingbird, POEM
Nailah B.
Texas Sights, POEM
Robert B.
Traveling Time, POEM
Olivia C.
What Makes Texas, POEM
Elyse K.
Find Me in The Lone Star State, POEM
Sadie L.
The Melting Pot, POEM
Grace M.
Cactus My Cactus, POEM
Carolina M.
Family Ties, STORY
Caroline L.
Welcome to Texas, STORY
Aydin M.
The Clash at the Alamo, POEM
Azaire M.
Texas, POEM
Elliot J.
What I Love About Texas, STORY
Clara McLean J.
In the Beginning, STORY
Jonathan L.
Lone Star State, POEM
Natasha G.
The One and Only Texas, POEM
Anderson C.
My Texas Story, STORY
Grant B.
Time Travel in Texas, STORY
Russell B.
The Commander of Time Travel, STORY
Lexie F.
Where I’m From, POEM
Carolina C.
A Night in Texas, ART
Fares D.
Cowboys, BBQ, and Rodeos, POEM
Olivia C.
What Makes Texas, POEM
Olivia A.
Berries and a Mockingbird, ART
Ellen B.
Why We Praise, POEM
Dashiell B.
The Hawk, POEM
Camila B.
Bluebonnets, POEM
Edie B.
Castaway, STORY
Nicolas E.
Texas’s Shape, POEM
Costas P.
Texas Our State, POEM
Sophia P.
A True Texan, ART
Evan P.
Texas, My Forever Home, POEM
Max P.
Texas – You’ve Seen It All, POEM
7th Grade
Maher D.
Stuck in the Past, STORY
Alex E.
Six Flags, One Republic, One State, One Star, Twenty-Nine Million People, STORY
Carlo N.
#1 Best, POEM
Caroline O.
Born and Raised, POEM
Hunter R.
Texas is Texas, POEM
Ralph S.
Screaming Glory’s Name, POEM