In The Words Of

A Third Grader

‘Writing Shows Awareness’

By Talia Hankin

(Newtown High School sophomore Megan Price has been spending time tutoring two third grade students at Head O’ Meadow School in writing. During their studies, Megan and her two students have worked on writing a book about global warming. The following is an account written by one of her two students.)

Megan Price, a 16-year-old sophomore at NHS, has been tutoring two third grade students in their writing at Head O’ Meadow. Megan loved to write in third & fourth grade. In those grades, she wanted someone to come tutor her in writing. So, she knew how they felt.

“I like to write because you can write about anything,” Megan told her young scholars. In her free time she likes to act and play the guitar. In elementary and intermediate school, she was in a drama club, Odyssey of the Mind, and Girls on the Run. Megan wants to be a doctor when she grows up and go to college at NYU. Of all the books she likes to read, her favorite is The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger.

One of her third graders is a 9-year-old named Talia Hankin. When she grows up, Talia wants to go to New York University or Yale University to study to be a veterinarian. Talia’s favorite books are the Little Women Series, by Louisa May Alcott. In her free time she likes to read, draw, laugh, cook, be with her family, ice skate, act and be active.

“My favorite part of the story is the snapshot because you can use all those great descriptive words,” Talia told Megan. She thinks the book the three of them just finished writing shows awareness about global warming. “The best things about writing are there are no limits, never-ending creativity, and you can go beyond your own life and reality.”

The other third grade student Megan is tutoring is 9-year-old named Wally Skrelja. Wally likes to play sports and laugh. His favorite book series is The Hardy Boys, by Franklin W. Dixon. When he grows up he wants to go to college at University of California at Los Angeles or the University of North Carolina to become a soccer player.

“It’s just fun” and “easy as pie,” Wally told Megan and Talia. He likes to write suspense.

The three are writing a book about global warming and a girl and two plants that cure it.

Talia added a thank you for her and Wally’s third grade teacher Susan Ruddock for setting up the tutoring lessons with Megan, and thanks to Megan for helping her and Wally. The third grader hopes their story will be read by Newtown residents in the future.