Sixth-graders write about their futures in class project book

Although the New Year is well under way and resolutions made and forgotten, several dozen Jackson students are looking farther into the future than just a resolution or two.

Students in three sixth-grade classes at Jackson Middle School have published books about what their life will be like in 20 years.

The books were part of a project in the reading and language arts classes at the school. Each book includes illustrations and text from each student in the class.

The project has been a success in Sherry Ford's classroom. Students wrote about their goals, family, job and technology and how each will change in the next two decades.

As part of the assignment, the students did brainstorming, peer editing and illustrations to accompany their text. Several also did their own typing.

Ford talked to the students about how much life is different today than it was 20 years ago, telling them to consider how quickly technology changes.

"I told them about how computers were plain and didn't do much when I was first using them, and about using a typewriter," Ford said.

Many of her students have never used a typewriter but rely on computer keyboards instead: that was just one example she gave the class.

Thinking far into the future was a bit of a challenge, said Josh Duncan, 12.

Difficult to predict

"It was hard to think about that because there are challenges," he said.

He thought about what job he might enjoy, how his family will change and what things might happen.

New technology will be a lot greater than it is today, he said.

Duncan intends to play professional baseball for his career. He was inspired by his father who used to play for the Texas Rangers, he said.

"We had to think about how things might turn out and everything that was going to happen to you," he said.

Stacy Roth also wrote about how her life will be different in 20 years than it is today. She wants to become a teacher and have a side job as an owner of a Beanie Baby store.

At age 11, she has set some serious goals for her future: to lead a healthy life and be a better person. She intends to reach that goal by not doing drugs.

But not all the students were entirely practical about how their life would change. Travis Roth, Stacy's twin, predicted he would win the lottery.

"It was kind of hard to make the predictions," Stacy said.

Each book includes a page from every student in the class and students voted on what drawing to include on the cover and title pages. The book cost $20 per student for printing.

While the cost was a prohibitive factor for some, Ford said she encouraged the students to buy a copy. "I told them this is something they would enjoy later."

Ford said parents and the community have both been receptive to the book. It has been a class project at the school for two years.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126