Chandler Woods Academy sixth-graders try their hand at MyGR6

Chandler Woods Academy sixth-graders try their hand at MyGR6
10/1/2011
PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP — Sixth-grader Chris Torres stuck to the rules of the MyGR6 campaign, which asks participants to sum up Grand Rapids in exactly six words.
But his proposal takes up more space than the typical entry: “Epic-est, coolest, supercalafragilisticexpialadocest place ever GR.”
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Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press
David Skidmore votes for his favorite MyGR6 submission among those written by his sixth-grade classmates at Chandler Woods Charter Academy.
 
“I was trying to think of a word that explains Grand Rapids,” Chris explained. “We’re getting bigger, so I thought the longest word would be best.”
He was fulfilling an assignment at Chandler Woods Charter Academy, which used the MyGR6 campaign to teach about writing.
“It fit in with our writing unit; it’s fun, and it involves the community,” teacher Dana Wehner said.
Students had to make precise word choices while being creative in order to stand out among 6,000 other contest entries, she said.
The students in the three sixth-grade classes studied folk literature, fables and tall tales and how they are full of descriptive adjectives and action verbs. Wehner required them to write one or two MyGR6 submissions.
The students voted for their favorites, and teachers will pick a top winner and submit it to mygr6.com in an attempt to win the contest. The campaign takes submissions only from adults.
Out of the approximately 90 submissions, Daniel Barton won the school's contest with "Grand River, Grand city, Grand life," which teachers will submit on his behalf.
Student T-Bone Rehwoldt found it difficult to stick to six words.
“It was hard not to write a whole sentence,” he said.
“I’m not really that good at writing, so to have to come up with something helped me.”
He wrote “Even California is jealous of GR,” based on his West Coast relatives’ longing for snow and cheaper prices on goods.
“A lot of people like California, and if California people are jealous of Grand Rapids, that would be really good,” he said.
Eden Heimer said the project got her to think about different words to use.
“It was fun because you get to really express yourself through words,” she said.
She wrote: “Food and wine, oh so fine.” She has not tasted the wine, but Grand Rapids is known for good restaurants, she said.
Wehner said the activity was quick but drove home the importance of good word choice.
The public has through Oct. 4 to submit entries.
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