Philadelphia Stories: Publishing Local Writers & Artists
Rex is a student at Milton H. Allen Elementary School in Medford, NJ. He is currently in third grade, but his poem was written when he was in second grade.
A Home
A home you love
A home that will keep your memories safe
A home that will keep you forever and ever
A Bird
A bird, a bird I see a bird
Her eyes are blue and green
Her wings are red A bird, a bird
A Beat
A beat you sing to
A beat you move to
A beat a beat
Mairead Rishko is six years old and is in kindergarten at Rehoboth Elementary School. She has two older sisters and a brother. She loves her lab, gymnastics and swimming in the ocean.
A symbol of love
Imprinted into a silver heart
The touch of a smooth fingerprint
The feeling of remembrance
The radiant sun glistens down
On its freshly polished face
And makes it sparkle and shine
It drapes down from your neck
And sways as you walk
It’s the most beautiful sight
It brings tears of joy
It holds the place of special,
Valued things
It’s your heart’s centerpiece
— In Loving Memory of Pop Pop Jerome
Juwaireyah Dorsey is in the fifth grade at Universal Institute Charter School in Philadelphia. She writes poetry, short stories, essays and plays. Her favorite subjects in school are science and math, she loves shoes, and her favorite color is baby blue. She likes to hang out with her family and play with her baby sister, Jennah.
NyAshia loves to read and spend time with her cat, Yo-Yo. She goes to Jenks Academy of the Arts and Sciences. She is in fifth grade.
High heels are nice, sweet, lovely and beautiful. I love everything about them. I love low high heels, medium high heels and high high heels. I’m too young to wear them now, but when I do I want to buy a pair in every color.
But before I do, I want to learn everything about them — how they’re made, how to fix them when they are broken and why there are so many colors.
My teacher has 10 pairs. I don’t have any yet.
I think girls should be able to wear heels when they are 14 and up, so I have to wait five years. So until then, I’ll just wear flats and sneakers and other shoes.
Elise Kornegay is a fourth grader at Lea Elementary School in West Philadelphia. She also studies writing in the after-school Academy at Mighty Writers West. She enjoys acting, singing and animals.
Julia Lester is a fifth grade student at Jenkintown Elementary. In her spare time, she enjoys Irish step dancing, softball, and playing clarinet. She lives in Jenkintown with her parents, her brother Benny, and her dog Tonka.
Suaad Dorsey is a 13-year-old from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She’s always had a passion for words, hence her reason for joining the writing program at her school, String Theory Performing Arts Charter School. Suaad spends most of her time developing stories with her several talented friends from school and her after-school program Mighty Writers. When she isn’t writing, she’s indulging in the fabulous work of John Green, her favorite author. Suaad’s mission is to not only be known for her work, but to also benefit other lives because of it.
Sarafina Keefe is a fourth grade student at Queen of Angels School. In her spare time, she enjoys basketball, drawing, and video games. She lives in Abington with her parents, big sister, and 2 cats (Soxsey and Pumpkin). Sara Keefe is a student at the Abington Art Center’s “Writing Fairy Tales, Sci-Fi, & More Workshop,” taught by Nancy Kotkin.
Laxmi McCulloch is 11 years old and in sixth grade at the Meadowbrook School. She lives in Elkins Park with her sister, brother, mom, dad, and two cats. Reading and writing are two things that she is passionate about. Laxmi loves writing short stories and poetry, and reads mystery books to see if she can figure out the mystery before the characters in the book do. Laxmi is also a student at the Abington Art Center’s “Writing Fairy Tales, Sci-Fi, & More Workshop,” taught by Nancy Kotkin.
Annalise N. Stevens is a sixth grader at The Waldorf School of Philadelphia. Besides writing, she also enjoys reading and musical theater.